Indifference
by yellowroses257
Summary: Savannah never escaped the MC DJ because Marti never went to look for her. It's hard and Mari tries her best to comfort Savannah, but also get her to sue. Suing scares her though, that means admitting that it happened, admitting you're soiled. S/D M/L
1. Chapter 1

**Hey :) This is my first Hellcats fic. I'm trying hard to stick to character even though it might seem a little out of character because of the circumstance. And also while this story does have a plot, it is open to adjustments...a.k.a it's not set in stone. If anyone has any suggestions along the course just shoot me a PM. That includes shippings...I'm not sure who Savannah, Marti, Dan, Lewis, Alice (anyone really) is going to end up with. They might not even end up with anyone, so suggestions are appreciated. While I do have a vague idea of the relationships included here, they too are not set in stone. I think I'm rambling...so anyways. I hope you like it so far...I have the next chapter already done and I'm about half way through the third chapter. I do not own Hellcats. **

**Chapter 1**

Savannah heard the zipper. It sent fear through her veins. _I'm so stupid, I don't want this_. He was on top of her, one rude hand clamped tight over her mouth. Her back was pushed sharply against the door of the truck, the arm of the chair sticking into her side.

"Come on baby," he drawled as his free hand explored her hips.

_Stop. Just stop!_

The DJ slipped his hand into her shorts after ripping her belt off with both hands. Savannah was panting, almost too scared to react. Almost. She tried her best to knee him in the chest. What she ended up doing was pissing him off and getting shoved back against the seat. He climbed over and straddled her waist, angling the passenger seat back as far as it could go.

Savannah thought about screaming, she really did. But her cheek still stung from when he slapped her at the beginning of all this.

_"Get off me!" I shouted. "Get off! Get off!" He pushed his way in between my legs and shoved his hips against mine. He laughed. I tried to hit him but every time I did he laughed harder. "Get off me!" I screamed. SMACK! My cheek felt like it was on fire. The slap of his knuckles against my skin made the hair on my arms stick up. "Don't scream. Don't even talk." He ripped my shirt off. Tore it in two by the little bit of fabric that buttoned together at the bottom. "Just let me do this."_

He dragged his lips across her abdomen. He pulled her shorts down to her knees and groped her skin. Savannah shivered making him smile. _He's a monster._ A monster who was invading ever part of her body. Every part that was untouched. Hands snaked their way back up and squeezed her breasts through her bra. She quivered.

"Almost looks like you like me touching you."

He smirked.

Savannah gasped as he hooked his thumbs around her thong and pulled the clothing down. He pulled away her last barrier. Her last protection. Skin grazed against skin.

A heat rose in her cheeks. _This is so wrong. Why can't someone help me? _

"Clean cut," he said. "Yall must've been expecting someone." He whistled.

"No!" Savannah spat. "Stop!"

The DJ's elbow collided with her stomach. Savannah groaned.

"I told ya to stop talkin'!" he hissed.

He wrestled with her arms and held her wrists in one hand as he undid her bra with the other. _I hate this. Please just make it stop. _Savannah nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his fingers slide over her most private part. She felt helpless.=

"Darlin'," he whispered, his breath hot on her skin. "I _know _you want this."

His fingers slid in deeper, grinding against her clit.

"Your body does anyways." He winked.

_God please! Why is this happening to me?_

She could feel his member poking against her thigh then. Her heart raced as she groaned in protest and tears started to blur her vision. _What did I do? _He pulled her bra off completely and pinched one of her nipples. _I don't want this. Why is he saying my body does? How could I ever want this! I never asked!_ He eased his member out of its cage, his boxers. It rested, stiff, against her inner thigh. Savannah looked up at him. His eyes were glowing with lust and humor.

"Hope you're broken in," he said and gave her a smile. "Ya horny cheerleader." He tugged at the '_Cheer_' necklace around her neck.

He slid into her. Savannah's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She felt dead and disgusted and violated and sickly aware of him inside her. It was gone. Her virginity. He had just taken it. She grimaced as she felt the sharp pain and the warm liquid trickle out of her body. Tears slid down her cheeks. She struggled when he grabbed her wrists again and held them in an iron grip above her head. He started thrusting into her hard and she started to whimper. Savannah hated him. She hated him even more when he groped her left breast so hard she could feel the bruise forming. And that hate turned into defeat when she could feel and hear his panting against her ear. His lips found her collar bone and he sucked until the vacuum broke her skin and she felt blood.

Another smirk.

_God, why me? What did I ever do to make you want to punish me?_

Savannah started crying. She tried not to sob. Tears rushed down her face and neck in rapids.

"Fuck," the DJ mumbled as he found her hips with his hands and started slamming into her.

Savannah's body felt so dirty. The sweat that came off him and dripped onto her was revolting. Even more was the pain her groin was in. She felt a giant pressure on her hips and inside of her.

"Hot as hell," he panted.

Savannah closed her eyes, hoping for it to be over soon.

"So fuckin' good...Ahh, shit!"

It ended. Her body felt beyond dirty. Quickly she sat up and he zipped his pants. He slapped her butt when she turned over to grab her shirt and bra in the bottom of the crew cab. It stung. She ignored the soreness in her muscles as she dressed and then got out of the truck. The DJ rolled down the window and she turned to face him.

"Don't be shy now, cheer captain," he said with his drawl. "I'll be your stunt partner any day."

Then he started the truck and drove away.

Savannah buttoned up her shirt and felt extremely vulnerable with so much skin showing. Not knowing what else to do she walked back towards the barn. There were still lights and music coming from it. As she walked up she started to shut her mind off. Everything that was bothering her, everything that hurt, she shut it all down so that her brain was numb. Her only thought was how to get home.

_Marti._

It was the biggest relief she'd ever felt in her life. Just seeing her roommate leaning against the side of the barn nursing a beer. Marti squinted at her and then her expression broke into one of surprise.

"Hey Savannah," she said happily. "I thought you left with Lewis?"

Savannah shook her head, her gaze finding the dirt. _I wish Lewis had taken me home before. _She felt guilty.

"Is something wrong?" Marti asked gently holding Savannah's forearm.

The warmth from Marti's touch was welcomed. It made Savannah feel human. But it also reassured her of the nightmare that just happened. She placed her hand over Marti's and looked the taller girl in the eye.

"Can you take me home please?" she whispered.

Marti gave her a funny look. Somewhere between confusion and concern.

"Yeah, sure. Of course."

_Please, Marti, don't ask._

**_R&R tell me what you think_**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I decided to take out the extended first chapter part, and I'm going to include an extras section once the story is complete and it will be there. I feel it interferes with the flow too much. If you don't know which part I'm talking about, it doesn't matter now anywas. Enjoy!**

**Hey :) So this is more like the official chapter 2 (the plot continues). I hope it sounds in character and you like the way it's going so far. I do not own hellcats.**

**Chapter 2**

Marti set down her beer and looked Savannah over quickly.

"Where's your hat?"

Marti could see Savannah quiver.

"I must've lost it in the barn," she said avoiding Marti's gaze. _She looks like hell. And seems relatively sober. What happened with that DJ? _Marti gave Savannah's arm a reassuring squeeze before they started walking in the direction of Savannah's car. Savannah's face looked flush and her body was covered in goose bumps. In the little light the street lamps provided Marti could make out the red lump on Savannah's chest. _Is that a hickey? _

"I hope you know I'm driving," Marti said pulling the other girl's keys out of her back pocket as they approached the blue Mazda. Savannah nodded, crossing her arms tight. _Why isn't she talking to me? _Marti didn't find the silence uncomfortable but the extent of her roommate's quietness made her feel out of place. No. Not out of place, but significantly unaware.

"Are you cold?" she asked Savannah as they reached the car.

"A little bit," she sighed.

Marti unlocked the car with a tap of a button. Savannah stood near the trunk of the car staring unfocused at the license plate.

"Maybe you have a jacket in the trunk," Marti said trying to disturb the silence. Make herself feel less oblivious to the situation, if there was a situation. _No. There's a reason she's acting this way. _Inside the trunk Marti rummaged around the various gym bags and sneakers until she found a gray Lancer sweatshirt.

"Here!" She tossed the sweatshirt to Savannah. She seemed caught off guard and a little startled when she finally put it on.

The drive home was silent except for the hum of the engine and the handful of questions Marti asked. _Something happened. What if it was bad? What if she got hurt? _Marti glanced at Savannah. She was looking out the window, her hands folded over her stomach. She looked so lost...but maybe that's just because she was tired...and maybe still a little drunk. Marti took off her cowboy hat and threw it in the back seat.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.

Savannah physically shuddered. _Well that's a no. _She turned to face Marti.

"I'm fine. I just need...some sleep." She fingered her cheer necklace and turned to look back out the window. Marti sighed and focused on the road. _I can't force her to tell me. But she really looks out of it. I didn't see her come back with that DJ either. Ugh, something bad happened, I know it. Something happened that she doesn't _want_ to tell me. I have such a bad feeling my stomach is in knots. I don't want to assume the worst but I can't help letting my mind wander._

Marti shut the car off. They were in the student parking across the street from Cheertown.

"Listen," she said quietly. "If something happened you can tell me. I won't judge."

Savannah looked up with a serious expression.

"I know. But nothing happened Marti."

"Well, if something ever happens, I don't charge for therapy sessions."Marti said grinning.

_I know she doesn't get jokes...but not even a smile?_

They got out of the car and started walking. Marti noticed Savannah had a sort of waddle to her walk. Each step she took was angled in a funny way. She was walking slowly too. Like walking any faster would break her back. _She's hurt..._ Marti walked slowly with her, grabbing her hand and smiling as they made their way to the dorm. They were about to go up the stairs when Savannah finally said something relating somehow back to whatever happened to her.

"Marti?" she asked stopping suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me up the stairs? No judging..."

"Mh hmm."

Marti took Savannah's elbow and wrapped an arm around her waist. They started their trek up the stairs. Marti wasn't surprised when Savannah leaned almost all her weight on her. She heard Savannah huff and puff as they ascended. It was like this was the hardest thing in the world. _I wonder what happened to her legs? _When they got to the top Savannah let Marti continue to help her all the way to the common room. Which was where she shrugged out of Marti's grip and walked through their door.

"Hey," Marti said. "I'm gonna get a glass of water. Do you want one?"

"No thanks..."

_Well you're getting one._

Marti walked into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses. She turned the faucet on and the water started running. _I know something's wrong with her. If she can't walk and she has a hickey and she's closed off. ..there's nothing else it could be. Especially with the way that DJ Petey B, or what ever the hell his name is, was touching her. It has to be. That means...Oh god. Hmph, right, oh _God_. She's going to be a mess._

**R&R Oh, and I want to things to move slowly, but not too slowly (trying to improve my plot flow). And I'm trying to base this on a concept which will be revealed later on in the next chapter or so. Also I have I think one more chapter done and am writing the next, but I plan on spliting some chapters up a little. Tell me what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

**:) I'm updating pretty fast. Hopefully this is starting to get interesting so I can get some dedicated followers! *If anyone is interested in being a beta PM me, nothing here is/has been beta-ed* I do not own Hellcats. (again...)**

**Chapter 3**

Savannah peeled off the Lancer sweatshirt. _Everything hurts..._ She was still cold, but wanted to burn her clothes. She never wanted to see them again. She continued to strip, carefully. She pulled on some underwear and then slipped into some cheer shorts. Before the cheer captain could put on her T-shirt she caught her reflection in a mirror. The hickey was red and swollen against her skin, and her stomach had a bruise coming in where he elbowed her. The breast he had groped was bruising as well in the shape of a deformed hand. _No one can tell. Not unless they know... _Pain burned in her groin. She refused to look at herself there. No, not even in the shower. _I should take a shower. But I'm so tired._

"So I got you a glass-"

Savannah froze.

_Oh please, God please._

"Savannah," Marti whispered. The glasses were placed rather roughly on the desk next to the door. She walked farther into the room, starring, her eyes full of shock and sympathy.

"Don't," the cheer captain said putting the T-shirt on quickly, wincing at the motion.

"Savannah I'm so sorry!" she whispered cautiously.

"You don't even know Marti!" _I wanted to wait. I didn't want it to happen. _

"He raped you..." Marti said softly, covering the distance between them and taking Savannah's hands. _She doesn't know. He took it...because I deserved to have it taken._

"Yes..." Savannah croaked, falling back onto her bed and Marti followed. She wrapped her friend in a hug, gently running her fingers through Savannah's hair. Is sent warmth through her body and tingles. Everything should have pointed to sympathy but, for the cheer captain, the only thing it confirmed was that it happened.

"I'm sorry...I should've went to check on you...you were really drunk and I knew he wasn't being honest with you."

"I thought that was what people do, hook up for fun," Savannah mumbled, tears starting to sting her eyes. Marti's quiet breath was next to her ear. The taller girl stopped stroking her hair and simply held her. She blinked back the tears. "But..." _Breathe._ "This happened for a reason. I...I did something wrong...and this is punishment."

"Savannah you can't think like that!"

Marti's strong arms tightened around her. She shook her head. _There was a reason this happened. I've sinned. _She softly pushed out of Marti's embrace and tried to hide a groan.

"God's punishing me Marti," she whispered. "I deserve it."

Marti's eyes widened and her body tensed.

"What could you have _possibly_ done? How could you believe anything you do is _bad_? You're little miss goodie two shoes!"

Savannah leaned back onto her bed, tired. _I'm not good. _Her whole body suddenly sore. It was moist in her groin and made her grimace. She curled onto her side, slowly, and focused on the light from the lamp. Two tensed hands easily gripped her knees.

"You need to go to the hospital," her roomie whispered rocking her legs gently. And then louder, more forceful: "We're getting back in the car."

"No, I'm not," she groaned.

"Yes. You are."

Savannah wanted to scream, but her lungs felt weak and her mind numb.

"I'm not going anywhere Marti."

"Please. What if he hurt you down there? ...What if you caught something?"

She hammered her eyes shut. _..._ More than anything the cheer captain wanted her teammate to shut up. Stop filling her mind with 'what ifs' and go to bed. Deal with it tomorrow. She wanted to be enveloped by unconsciousness. If Marti would let her sleep then she could wake up early and take a shower. _Feel clean again._ She could throw the clothes away. Get rid of the necklace. Maybe even go to practice and avoid Marti for the rest of the day. _That's what I'll do._

"Savannah?" came the quiet voice.

"I promise I'll go tomorrow," she mumbled. "I just need to sleep right now."

Marti's fingers loosened on her knees.

"_Fine._" _So stubborn. _"But I'm holding you to it."

Savannah tried to muster up a smile. "Thanks." She felt Marti's weight disappear from the mattress, evening out the space. She opened her eyes to watch as her roomie grabbed the two glasses of water and placed one on the side table between their beds. She closed her eyes again as Marti took a sip from her glass and then started to shrug out of her plaid shirt. Savannah rolled over, a whimper escaping her lips as she did, and pulled the coverlet around her.

_God, don't let me contract anything. Don't...let me be pregnant. I can't remember if he had a condom. Probably not. What if I have a baby starting to grow? No, I wouldn't feel so dirty and gross. I hope the pain goes away soon. The muscle ache. Please don't hate me for being soiled. _

**_..._**

_Shit._

Marti woke up and Savannah was already gone. _Why do I have to be such a heavy sleeper. Shit! Shit!_ She jumped out of bed after slamming her hand down on the alarm clock. They had practice that morning at seven and something told her Savannah wouldn't be missing it. She thought hard about where Savannah went every morning, but came up blank. _That bobble head wouldn't go right to the gym, would she? _Marti didn't have a better idea to go by. She pulled on the required practice gear, white sports bra and blue cheer shorts, and then pulled sweats and a band-tee on over them. Grabbing her gym bag and cell phone she sped into the kitchen.

"Why are _you_ up so early?"

_Alice. _

"I could ask you the same thing," Marti snorted, not bothering to monitor her facial expression, which she was sure was annoyance.

"I'm usually up at five, with Savannah, but today I let myself have an extra half hour," she said smirking.

"Wait...did you see Savannah this morning?" Any information would be helpful at that point.

"No." Alice rolled her eyes, "I just finished telling you I slept in. Why does it matter?"

_Bitch. _Anger pumped through her veins. How could anyone be so inconsiderate?

"Savannah was-" Marti stopped short. It wasn't her news to share. Savannah was already a mess, and spewing everything to Alice wouldn't make anything better.

"She was just upset last night..." She sighed, hoping her fumbling of words wouldn't sound too suspicious.

Alice eyed her carefully. "Getting wasted can do that to a person."

"Yeah I know. I'm a little...worried about her..." it came out sounding more like a question than a statement. Alice set down her coffee mug and poured more cream into the dark liquid. Marti wanted some coffee, just to help her think straight. _I'll need it, especially the way this day is starting to turn out. _She grabbed a thermos and poured the coffee in, spilling it over the edge as she added her cream and sugar.

"I'm gonna head to the gym early, see you at practice," Marti said around a bagel.

"Yeah, don't hold your breath."

**R&R please. In your review, could you tell me if you think Marti sounds in character? I'm not so sure she sounds hereself and Alice too. Also couples will start making their appearances soon! Pretty much your last time for any suggestions and I hope you like it so far. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Helloo. **

**1. I will probably never be updating this fast again :( finals are this week so I can't afford to cut my studying short. (I will try to update periodically throughout summer, trying to stick to a deadline of at least a chapter a week)**

**2. I lied. Pairings will sneak in slowly in the coming chapters.**

**3. I reread this chapter and edited it a little because I was making things with Savannah move too fast, so this is more Savannah centric. I do not own Hellcats**

**Chapter 4**

Savannah was in the shower. The water, pelting into the tile, echoed loudly throughout the locker room. She hadn't slept all night. When four thirty rolled around she finally got out of bed, grabbed her gym bag, and crept out of Cheertown and toward the gymnasium. Being captain gave her access to the master key of the gym.

_The bruises are worse_...the brunette thought as she ran a soapy hand down her stomach. The forming bruise from last night had deepened to a dark purple. It took over the right half of her abdomen. With every twist that stretched the skin it made a fire burn through her right side. _I can't cheer like this. _In the back of her mind she had a tiny wish that she had stayed in bed. Then Marti would have woken up and taken her to a hospital.

Faintly, music started to play. It was loud and shrill. Her cell phone. Savannah crossed her arms and let the water rush over her cheeks. It was hot and sent a tingle throughout her body. The steam that was building in the room was pleasantly intoxicating. The phone call didn't concern her, who ever it was, and she was sure it was Marti, could wait until later. Words echoed in her head. _"I know you want this. Your body does anyways."_

Shivers ran down her spine. A brutal attack. Made the water and the warmth seem to leave. Just numbness in their place. The steam became suffocating as it pushed violently into her lungs. The shrill sound of the phone pierced the silence. Silence, the one thing that kept her calm. Maybe something that shouldn't. Something that would be more appropriate to strike fear; enriching endless possibilities. Again the shrill siren punctured her last sanctuary. Savannah sighed and turned the water off. Stepping out of the stall she wrapped a towel around her body and ran a hand through her hair, slicking it back. She walked into the locker room and gingerly sat down on one of the benches, grabbing the phone from her gym bag.

"Hello?" she asked, not bothering to pay attention to the caller I.D. (Of course her eyes read the name off before she could help herself)

"Savannah where are you?" Marti's strained voice seethed through the speaker.

"I just got done with a shower," she mumbled.

"A shower? No you didn't, you weren't at Cheertown this morning."

"I'm at the gymnasium. In the locker room."

There was a pause. A huff of breath.

"...Are you on your bike?" she asked confused.

"Yeah (pant), I'm on my way from the dorm. No one had seen you and you promised."

The cheer captain flinched.

"Savannah?"

Click.

She dropped her phone onto the tile floor letting the violent clatter echo around her. _I can't go to the hospital. What if mom found out? And Char's already pregnant...I can't. I can't. I can't._

_I picked the clothes out of my bag. I would have walked here if my body wasn't so beat up. I let the various pieces of fabric fall into the trash can and walked up the stairs. I never wanted to show that much skin again. The gym was dark and I should have been scared, but nothing made sense for him to be here. The lock clicked open and I stepped inside. It never was and never would be that he did it. It was that he _took_ it. Took my virginity. Took everything that made me innocent, pure. Everything that meant something._

_I was afraid to look at myself naked. I tried to avoid it. But when I pulled off the towel to step into the shower I saw the purple of my groin. In the shower it hurt to wash it. There was no wonder why. Positive outcomes only. That was why I barely touched the area when I swiped my soapy hand over the skin. I didn't want to confide in Marti. I didn't want her pity. She would bring everyone else into it, and I didn't want a support group. _

_Half of me wanted to forget...but how can I forget that someone stole my virginity?_

**_..._**

_Ow._

Savannah bit her lip as she stretched out her leg. Marti showed up a half hour before practice, just before Vanessa walked in. Lewis and Alice walked in then, the rest of the team filling into the locker room in a flood. She stifled a groan and glanced at her roomie. Sure enough she was watching her with a skeptical look.

_Footsteps. Loud and quick. Like pounding feet, sprinting. The door burst open and there Marti was. Savannah didn't react but simply looked past her as if she wasn't there. She marched over and stood in front of the cheer captain, who was sitting on the bench, eyes boring holes into her. _

_"Why did you leave?" a demanding voice, yet quiet and easy._

_Savannah avoided her stare._

_"You can't do this. We're practicing floor routines."_

_Still no eye contact. An uncomfortable silence fell between them. The only sound was that of Marti's recovering breath._

_Vanessa had walked in then and that was that. Their coach waved hello and made her way to her office, leaving no time for Marti to speak another word before Alice came in arguing with Lewis about her wrist. Marti had pulled her hair back in a pony tail, angrily, as the rest of the team made their way inside._

"Savannah what's the problem?" Vanessa asked walking out from her office.

"Just a little sore," she said biting the inside of her cheek as she stood.

Vanessa looked her over quickly and motioned to her outfit.

"Are you turning into Marti?" she asked as Savannah quietly looked down at her baggy T-shirt.

She shook her head, "I forgot I had it on..."

Vanessa cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well take it off. Baggy clothing doesn't help us here."

Savannah nodded and she walked over to her gym bag which was situated in the corner of the room. Carefully she lifted the cotton material over her head and shivered as the cool air-conditioned air of the gym hit her naked skin. _Why do I participate in a sport that shows so much skin?_ She stood up and avoided looking at her stomach, after she balled up the beloved T-shirt and stuffed it into her bag.

As she turned she watched Marti's eyes widen and then Lewis'. Alice looked like she was trying not to care that much, but was failing, and the rest of the team all eventually turned to see her bruised body. Savannah could feel their eyes (including Vanessa's now) on her. She could feel them outlining the bruise that was slowly taking over her stomach, plunging under her shorts and stretching out along her hip. _I hate myself. Take a breath, breathe. They can't know anything. Only Marti. Look at Marti._

Marti's eyes softened the slightest as Savannah walked over to the practice mat. Her roomie was the only person she could bare to look at. There was a gasp behind her and she felt the tears build up in her eyes. _Don't cry. Don't...God make this stop. Please. Breathe. _Marti's expression hardened. Savannah turned as she reached the group of cheerleaders and faced Vanessa. The coach's expression was shocked. The cheer captain's heart was pounding, but she was ready to face whatever they shot at her. _Because I fell down the stairs. Marti saw it happen. I'm fine, don't look at me like that. It looks worse than it actually is. I can barely- _

COLD

PAIN

Savannah shuddered as a slender finger traced along her back and broke her from her rambling thoughts. It slithered down her spine and pressed lightly against sensitive skin. Her breathing picked up as the finger slipped over the small of her back and then disappeared. It triggered some instinct in her, and the cheer captain's resolve crumbled as she looked to her stomach. The bruise had grown from the shower this morning. The color darkened and the veins on the outskirts were flaring out in purple and red. The finger pressed, quick, against her back again making her suck in a breath._ There's a bruise there too...? The door!_

"What happened to you?"

It was Lewis.

"I...I fell down the stairs last night," she whispered. "Marti saw it happen. She was with me."

_Why is it so easy to lie?_

"Yeah," Marti's voice echoed in the quiet gym. Her fingers probed gently around Savannah's back and then disappeared again.

"I don't think you should be doing anything with bruises like that," Vanessa said in her coach voice. "Sit this one out."

"But I have to practice for sectionals!"Savannah protested, eyebrows cocking in surprise.

Vanessa shook her head seeming to contemplate it before eventually saying: "No, this one practice you have to sit out. You could barely take that T-shirt off. How can I expect you to do a back hand spring and a back flip? It looks like it would hurt to do a back bend."

The words hit her like bricks. _It's like they know. The way she's looking at me, it's like she knows it's something more. _Savannah pouted and debated whether to show them she could do her moves, her opening floor routine. All eyes seemed to be on her again. _Breathe._

**R&R please! I hope everyone knows this is moving loosely in time since the beginning of the story started with episode 11. Also does anyone have any pointers for Vanessa? I don't feel like I know how to write her at all really, help would be much appreciated! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Helloo. Soo just got done editing this chapter a lil bit, added an extra encounter in..etc. Hope yah like it! Thanks for all the reviews and favs and alerts too, it means a lot. Oh, and I know I'm gonna be oh so very random with updates, and I mean like randomly an update. I'm just addicted to writing this...which could be good or bad. So while you can definetly expect an update a week you might also get various updates throughout the week. Oh yeah...I do not own Hellcats.**

**Chapter 5**

Marti saw Savannah's body tense before it happened. _Don't be stupid..._ The cheer captain started at a weak sprint before running through the various flips and spins of the floor routine. Something around Marti's stomach clenched. Savannah looked fine, if not a little messy with her transitions, but other than that the routine looked good. Until she fumbled with the back flip.

Savannah crashed to the ground with a sickening slap of skin against mat. _Shit! _The whole squad moved together as they ran toward their captain. Lewis was the first one there. He yanked her up into a sitting position and took one of her hands in his. Marti was the second one to the scene, sliding in next to Lewis not bothering to come to a stop before she dropped to her knees.

Savannah's eyes were closed and she was panting, her lungs expanding greatly with each heave of breath. Angry red colored her left cheek and her chest along with her stomach and upper arms. _Please don't break down. Hold it together, just ten more minutes, I'm taking you to the hospital in ten minutes. Don't let this all fall apart, I know you don't want people to see that._

"Savannah, talk to me," Lewis was begging, shaking her hand.

Marti carefully grabbed Savannah's right hand and rubbed the back of it with her thumb.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked over Mari's shoulder.

_That's a friggin' stupid question. _She tried to resist the sudden urge to glare at Alice. Marti refocused on Savannah and the girl was starring solely at her. She swore she could feel her roomie's pain and even humiliation. The connection seemed to explode through her hand, like an electrical current that joined their expressions together from the touch. Marti's index finger was clamped around the vein in her wrist, and she could feel her roomie's fast pulse, blood rushing under the skin.

"Okay, okay," Vanessa's voice sounded strained as she made her way through the small cluster of cheerleaders.

"Come on Savannah, say _something_," Lewis said, annoyance creeping into his voice ever so slightly.

"She's shocked," Marti said with more of an attitude than she wanted. _She can't do the one thing she's obsessed with. God damn it, Lewis stop talking!_

Savannah's hand tugged out of Marti's as Lewis helped her up off the floor and continued to ramble.

"Vanessa told her she couldn't do any of the routine, she's stupid for trying to prove her wrong," Alice whispered behind them. As Vanessa and Lewis led Savannah over to the bleachers Marti rounded on Alice, the smirk still on her face.

"Alice don't be such a bitch!" Marti seethed, positive her face looked as angry as her muscles told her she was (a sudden strain in each and every one, holding back some unknown rage).

"Excuse me," Alice said with another twitch of her lips and flash of white teeth. "I'm just saying she was asking for it. Everything she does has to be perfect and she has to prove herself to everyone."

"She's hurt, _Alice._ Your captain's hurt and you're laughing at her! All she's ever done is work her ass off for us, for _you_. She's the friggin' definition of optimism. She doesn't need your whining right now."

"Watch what you say."

_My blood is rushing. God I just want to hit her! Why can't I hit her right here right now? Grrrawd!_

Marti fisted her hands, her nails digging into her palm so hard they threatened to draw blood, and rolled her eyes.

"Think it's funny?" Alice asked a hint of anger crossing her features.

"Marti get your ass over here!" Lewis yelled from across the gym.

It was the distraction Marti needed, slightly releasing the tension that had built up in her muscles. She focused her mind on the problem at hand as she walked over to her team mates and coach. Savannah was situated on the bleachers her hands on her knees looking like she was trying to steady herself. A closer look, though, made it seem more like she was in desperate need of steadying her life, looking for the one thing that could provide some stability, and the strange thing was Marti knew she could do just that.

_I'm the only one she told. I have to be here for her. I can't think of how messed up she must be._

Marti walked up the steps of bleachers until she was next to Savannah. She noticed the brunette was shaking slightly and quickly took her hand in both of hers.

"You taking over?" Patty 'The Wedge' asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah," Marti said just as cool.

Patty rose and walked down the bleachers and off toward Lewis.

Something in Marti's chest tightened when she saw the red of Savannah's face and the darkness of the bruises. The one on her chest seemed almost hand-like. _I wonder if he grabbed her chest...She still hasn't told me anything..._She tightened her grip on her captain's hand. The only thing she felt was empathy. The team's captain had fallen flat on her face even when their coach ordered her to refrain from any activity, and after all that she's been through in the last twenty four hours.

_She doesn't deserve this. She's too good, too optimistic, too...Savannah. _

In that moment Marti was hyper-aware of everything Savannah did. She noticed everything: the way Savannah's breath sounded shaky with each intake, the way her shoulders still shook every few seconds from tremors, the pulse running through her wrist, and especially the way her captain's hand felt sheltered within her own.

Savannah's hand was the shakiest. However, it was barely noticeable unless you held it. The muscles in her hand seemed to fiercely contract making her petite and elegant fingers curl inside Marti's hands. Her fingers would wrap around Marti's index finger and squeeze it until the blood flow stopped. All the while Savannah was starring at Marti, eyes showing nothing in particular except for the few flecks of worry and annoyance that danced across her pupils on occasion. Marti's eyes found Darwin as he started walking back toward the bleachers holding Savannah's gym bag.

"Savannah, come over here," Vanessa said softly, turning to take the bag from Darwin as he approached her.

Marti rose slowly, at the same time her roomie did. She followed her down the bleachers and hesitated when Savannah stopped short to turn and follow Vanessa away from the crowd. Marti then walked over to Lewis and sighed.

"She must have fell hard," Lewis mumbled in Marti's ear. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. _You have no idea._ Vanessa was talking with Savannah quietly. Mostly the other cheerleaders kept to themselves and talked quietly of other things, conversations mostly retaining to sectionals, but every so often Marti heard their captain's name slip. Vanessa handed the brunette her bag and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Is she sending her home?" Lewis asked softly.

"You're joking, right?" Marti mumbled leaning into him a little more and crossing her arms. "After the face plant she just did?"

"I would think she'd be allowed to stay and watch us practice and workout on a bike or something. She is our captain after all."

"No way I'd make her stay. It's embarrassing. She's been beat up enough."

"Literally," Lewis whispered as Vanessa walked back over to the crowd.

_Please let me take her back Vanessa. Just let me talk to her and get her to a hospital._

"Alright guys, I think everyone needs to take a few laps," Vanessa said standing on the bleachers. There were a few groans of response. "Hey we need to get warmed up again. That was...stressful."

Marti caught Alice rolling her eyes and smirked. _At least I get to calm down for a minute._ Lewis released Marti from his grip and turned slowly with the rest of the team. Marti stayed and watch Vanessa.

"How many laps are we taking?" Lewis asked.

"Five," Vanessa said in that demanding coach voice she had.

"Bullshit," Darwin murmured as Vanessa strolled back over to their captain.

Marti turned and started a slow jog around the gym. Lewis slowed down to her pace and ran with her. They were at the end of the line of jogging cheerleaders. Not in private per say but the closest thing to it.

"How did she fall down the stairs last night?" he asked glancing at her.

"You saw how hammered she was last night," Marti whispered slowing down her pace even more, her eyes trained on Vanessa and Savannah as they both continued to talk in hushed tones. _There were way too many people for her to talk before. It's good Vanessa can be so clueless sometimes. _

"I figured that when I couldn't find her."

"Hmm. Well, I found her, or she found me, and I got her home."

"You were drinkin' last night too," Lewis said seriously.

"I could drive," Marti assured him. "You drank and you still drove a whole car-ful of people home."

"I'm a big guy. I have a high tolerance for alcohol."

"And I have a low tolerance for bullshit."

Lewis smirked and nudged her with his elbow.

"So neither of us should have been driving."

"We're both still living." She shrugged.

He laughed.

"Well, how did she fall again?"

Marti ignored his question at first, watching Savannah and Vanessa walk obnoxiously slow toward the locker room doors.

"She uh—she was kind of pretending to be a 'real cowgirl' and tried to slide down the railing..." _Wow that's a stupid story...Savannah's gonna kill me if she ever hears it. _"And being that drunk usually results in no balance...which made her slip off the second she sat down and roll down all the stairs."

"Really? That's...ouch. She really can't hold her liquor."

"Mhm..."

They were coming up on the turn in the gym and Savannah was walking...no limping out the door holding her gym bag. Marti sped up and over toward Vanessa.

"Where you going?" Lewis called behind her, but she ignored him.

"Hey Vanessa," she called as she neared the coach.

"Marti...why aren't you running your laps?" she asked letting the door shut and crossing her arms.

"I just...I was wondering if I could bring Savannah home?" Marti asked, making it sound like a five year old expecting the answer to be a stern 'no'.

Vanessa stayed silent for a beat. It made the clench in Marti's stomach tighten.

"I guess..." came her hushed response. "It would be good for her to get back alright..." She said sounding unsure of herself. "But this is the only time you're getting out of practice." _Right back into a wannabe drill Sargent._

"You won't regret it!" Marti said rushing her words out as she ran and grabbed her bag before heading into the locker room after Savannah.

**R&R! Can't wait until HP deathly hallows...so random haha. Oh and the 'hospital' which most likely be split into two chapters...next chapter and then the chapter after that. I've pretty much caught up with myself for what I have written already which means an update probably won't be until around wed. or friday. Tell me any thoughts/questions/concerns.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey. I feel kinda bad for not updating sooner :/ so I included kind of a lot in this chapter. Hopefully everyone will thank me by reviewing? Anyways I apologise for the late update and will hopefully be posting again by the end of this week...aka saturday if you're lucky. Oh and I'm even posting this late instead of in the mornig (it techincally is morning). R&R :D I do not own Hellcats. *I really don't know what goes on in a hospital if you're a rape victim...I did a little research but it's not perfect so you can expect some mistakes***

**Chapter 6**

Savannah heard the door creak, loud and disturbing, as someone slipped in out of her view. _Vanessa I don't want to talk about it..._she thought idly. Surprise shook her stomach when Marti walked around the corner and toward her.

"My cheek still stings," Savannah said forcing a smile.

Marti nodded and stood in front of her.

_Looks like I can't avoid her anymore. I'm stuck._

"We're going now," her teammate said stern. "Vanessa's letting me skip, so we're going to the hospital. I know you have the keys."

_Positive...This is positive. _

Savannah carefully pulled the T-shirt back on. Marti took the gym bag from Savannah's arm and swung it over her back. Savannah sighed as she followed Marti out the locker room doors and toward the building's exit.

_Doctors. Nurses. They'll understand...but at the same time they won't. I'm a cheerleader; captain of my squad. I get thrown up in the air and have to smile no matter how scared I am. No matter if my base drops me, or if I break a tooth on my landing, I have to smile. No matter what happens to my squad I have to smile, we have to smile. _

_Everyone on the squad except Marti. She knows...that I'm bad. I deserved what happened. The DJ forced...raped me. She's the only base I can count on now, and she's stubborn and curses and lost her virginity at sixteen. She grew up with a alcoholic for a mother, and that's sad but she turned out okay. How will I turn out? What if I just killed a baby that was inside of me? God, how could you create and destroy, and give and take so easily?_

_My virginity taken, my soul destroyed._

**…**

The hospital was whiter than Savannah remembered. The smell of disinfectant somehow stronger too as it attacked her nostrils. The emergency room had only two other people sitting in it: a boy who was babying his wrist and his mother, and a man with a bandage wrapped around his head, but that seemed reasonable for it being eight in the morning. The hospital was something Baptist...the closest place to Cheertown Marti knew of.

Marti, with her curly blonde hair and still in her practice gear was at the front desk. Savannah hadn't fought with her when they pulled into the parking lot; instead complained once or twice that it wasn't that bad. That only got her a glare from her roomie and a tug toward the entrance.

"She was raped," Savannah heard Marti whisper. She was standing behind her just a few steps away.

"When did this happen?" the nurse asked.

"Last night."

"Okay," the nurse hopped out of her seat seeming a little excited and frantic, "I'll be right back."

"Where is she going?" Savannah asked taking a step closer to Marti.

"To get a doctor I hope," Marti said starring after the nurse.

Savannah was wringing her hands. _Do they tell my parents?_ The thought brought chills that disrupted any sliver of hope she had. She knew Marti had probably studied about rape trials in her classes, or briefly gone over them. In some sick way it was ironic that she had a friend studying law. The nurse came rushing back in with another woman, looking to be in about her mid 40s.

"Hi, my name is Dr. Clarke," she said shaking Marti and Savannah's hands. "Ellen here tells me that you were raped? And if that's the case we have two options. We could either preform a rape kit and get an officer on the case or we could just preform a routine checkup and then let you go. It all depends on what you want to do and what you're comfortable with."

_I don't want a case. I don't want a case. I don't want people to know it happened and I don't want to announce it to a police officer. _Savannah looked to Marti and saw the brightness of her eyes. She then looked to the ground and felt conflicted. Dr. Clarke said to do what she was comfortable with but that made her decision even harder.

"Can she have a minute to think?" Marti asked slowly.

"Of course," Dr. Clarke replied. "But either way I need her to fill out an insurance and liability form." She reached over the counter and grabbed a clipboard and pen handing them both to Marti. "Once she's made up her mind she can come talk to Ellen here and give us the forms." The doctor smiled sympathetically before turning and walking back down the hallway. Ellen, the nurse, sat down at the desk behind the counter again.

"Let's go sit down,"Marti mumbled taking Savannah by the arm and walking her over to the most secluded seats.

Savannah felt panicked and her heart was pumping so hard it felt like punches against her rib cage. Her hands started to shake a little and she could feel a melt down coming. _I don't want to break down...not in the middle of a waiting room. Not now. _Marti held the clipboard between them and pointed to the first line with the pen.

"Patient's name: Savannah Monroe," the blonde said as she scrawled the letters across the line in blue ink.

"What should I do?" Savannah asked, her voice almost cracking. She turned in the seat to focus on her teammate and begged with her eyes for the right answer. _You're a law student you should know what's right and wrong!_

"I don't know...that's your choice," Marti sighed. Her eyes dropped momentarily back to the paper. "What's your middle initial?"

"But what would you do if you were me? I can't make up my mind. I don't want to tell anyone about it, Marti. I don't want my parents to find out! Please...tell me the right thing to do." Savannah clamped her hands around the arm of the plastic chair, her knuckles turning white from the force.

_Please, please, please._

Marti was silent for a beat and then, "I would get the rape kit done and have a case officer. You would have to tell your parents and people might find out about it, but we know who did it. You could get him in jail. He's an asshole and he doesn't friggin deserve to get away with it."

Savannah's breath hitched in her throat as she watched Marti continue to scribble in the little information she knew. She tried to relax her hands but they just seemed to squeeze tighter the more she focused her breathing and concentration. Every nerve ending in her body was acting against her. Her heart told her one thing and her brain another; and even then her religion.

_I am being torn apart and I don't know what to choose!_

_Cheerleaders smile when they get thrown up in the air and come crashing down, still shouting peppy phrases and completing the flip. The crash at the bottom, where you twist your wrist and break a few fingers is not the worst part. _

_It's smiling._

_You have to smile until you're in a hospital room or in the back of the ambulance. No matter the pain or sting or blood you smile your hardest through it. If you can't do that then you're not a cheerleader. Things like that are simple. They make sense. Cheerleaders are peppy and encouraging, it's only natural that we all smile throughout routines._

_Sex. Do people smile when they have sex? Does it feel that good, or is it supposed to feel good? _He_ smiled. He smiled through the whole thing and even laughed once. He even cursed at me. When I cried he smiled harder. His lips twitching he was so happy. But he couldn't have been happy to do it...unless his thing was happy...Gross! But smiling like that, it looked effortless. Could forcing himself on me have been so enjoyable that he couldn't keep from showing it?_

_No one should know. It replays in my head when I try to close my eyes. Every part, every touch, every breath. All of it playing over in my mind or on my skin. It's so hot. Too hot on my skin. It hurts. Everything hurts. I'm still sensitive, and it's being touched. That part that was scared and sacred. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Make it stop God! I made my choice, please make this pain stop!_

**…**

Savannah sat on a hospital bed with paper thin sheets. Marti was next to her sitting on the edge, her hands fiddling with the brunette's fingers. The pain of the physical examination was taking it's toll on Savannah, including emotionally.

_Not only would her parents be notified because of the insurance, but she felt pressured from the nurse, who wouldn't stop talking about evidence, to go dig her clothes up from the trash to comply to her unspecified order. _

_Dr. Clarke had entered the private room and proceeded to examine Savannah. She asked many questions, things Savannah thought were very personal (and some things she felt embarrassed to admit to the doctor and Marti). Marti was asked to go outside but Savannah pleaded she stay. Dr. Clarke allowed it and proceeded to instruct Savannah to show her any abrasions or bruises. _

_Savannah did. She peeled up her T-shirt and motioned to the bruising on her abdomen. She felt horrid and wanted more than anything to crawl into a dark room and stay there forever. Dr. Clarke pulled on plastic gloves with a sickening slap of plastic against skin that made Savannah shiver and she saw Marti's eyes shine a little brighter at the memory from earlier that morning. The doctor had her show off the rest of her bruises including the one on her breast and back. When asked about any bruising in her groin Savannah couldn't reply. _

_"I haven't...looked there." Was her solemn reply. She was then instructed to change into a hospital gown and then led to another private room with an examination table in it. Dr. Clarke carefully inspected her groin with a light and commented softly on the bruising there. The doctor then checked Savannah's inside for abrasions. Marti was allowed to hold her hand during that part, which she greatly needed. _

_Savannah was more embarrassed during that examination than all the others. On the inside she felt her heart break a little more, and...she cried. Only a few tears escaped but it embarrassed her all the more. It meant the world to her that Marti stayed with her and held her hand. She could feel Marti watching her, but really sharing her pain by looking at her. It felt good to have something stable through it, a strong hand to squeeze. _

_When it was finished a routine rape kit was preformed: blood tests, swabs, combing and trimming of her pubic hair, places where semen still lingered were swabbed, her hair checked, everything and anything was checked, even the underside of her finger nails were scraped. All ending with Savannah and Marti being led to yet another private room and let there, door closed, told that someone would come to talk with them soon._

Marti's breath was all Savannah could focus on. _Inhale, Exhale. _The only thing that could keep her breathing. Everything that happened was the most humiliating thing she'd ever gone through. _I can't believe I had to take my clothes off like that. I can't believe I had to be checked and touched and _swabbed_...I felt so dirty. _

"What time is it?" Savannah mumbled glancing sideways at her roomie. She felt extremely inferior in the also paper thin hospital gown.

"It's a little past ten," the blonde said smiling lightly. "They said someone would be with us soon but that was over half an hour ago."

"Hmm," Savannah hummed squeezing Marti's fingers.

"So...I think they might want you to go to counseling..." Marti said carefully sounding like she was trying not to upset her.

Savannah's eyes widened.

"I don't _want_ to go to counseling."

"I know. I'm just saying someone might bring it up."

_Inhale, Exhale. _

The cheer captain stiffened, if her being more rigid was possible, as her teammate's breath hit her skin. It sent shivers through her body and made her mouth go dry.

"I can't wait to get back to Cheertown," she whispered. _Can't wait for this to just end._

Marti nodded, "And we need a good excuse so no one gets suspicious. Especially _Alice._"

"Alice isn't that bad."

Marti rolled her eyes.

"Please, if you looked bitch up in the dictionary you'd see her picture."

"I don't want her to get mad," Savannah said earnestly. "I don't want her to know either. Can you please at least _try _and be nice?"

"Why? For positive outcomes only?"

_Positive outcomes...would anything positive come from this event? Can anything positive come from being a rape victim? God, if you're listening..._

"I'm sorry," the blonde said softly as she kicked lightly at Savannah's purse that was on the floor next to the bed.

Savannah shook her head. "It's okay."

_Inhale, Exhale. _

"Do you want some water or something? I'm thirsty."

Marti stood and walked into the bathroom. Savannah heard her turn on the water and the filling of two cups.

"Oh look!" a sarcastic yelp from the bathroom. "The complimentary ice chips!"

_I want to laugh, but my mouth won't work. It hurts to laugh. It hurts my stomach._

Savannah put on a weak grin as Marti walked back into the room holding two plastic cups full of ice chips and water. She chugged her's and placed the other cup on the bedside table for Savannah. The brunette reached the cup and gripped it between both her hands.

"Our water's better at Cheertown," Marti mumbled. "Even Dan Patch says so."

Savannah nearly dropped the water hearing the name.

_Dan. Patch._

_Inhale_

_Exhale._

"Savannah?" Marti's voice sounded. "Are you okay?" _Dan Patch. _"I'm sorry I said his name."

"I'm...okay," Savannah said taking a sip of the water.

The door suddenly opened and in came Dr. Clarke with a clip board and a nurse they hadn't seen before.

"Hello Savannah, Marti," the doctor said scribbling something onto the clipboard that was held in front of her nose.

"Hey Doc,"Marti said sitting back down on the side of the bed.

"Marti," Dr. Clarke said placing the clipboard on the wall by a hook. "I was wondering if Savannah and I could talk alone for a moment?"

"Sure," Marti said glancing quick at Savannah. Savannah could feel her heart beat quickening at the mere thought of talking to this doctor alone. "I'll just be outside then."

Marti left quickly and so did the nurse after signing off on the clipboard Dr. Clarke had in hand.

Savannah placed the water on the table and gripped the sheets in her hands.

"So you had a lot of bruising," Dr. Clarke started. "Could you tell me a little of what happened just so I have a better understanding of the injuries?"

_Inhale, Exhale._

_**...**_

"Marti?" the nurse asked.

Marti spun around and shook her head wildly. _Why am I getting spoken to?_

"Yeah?"

"Dr. Clarke wanted me to run you through some things you should be aware of with recovering rape victims," the nurse said clapping her hands together and pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Okay." _Are there rules for recovering rape victims? Damn, I hope there's a book. There was nothing in class about it, but then why would there be? It has nothing to do with law._

"Rape victims often don't like to feel alone and Savannah is no exception no matter what she says. What she's gone through has been a traumatic experience. She needs a support group. Her friends and her family...which I hope you can get to help. You're not related to her are you?"

Marti shook her head. _Well this lady's a genius. _"I'm her roommate...and one of her best friends."

"That's good dear," the nurse said before continuing. "Mostly you have to assure her that it's not her fault. Patients all react differently and she seems a little over controlled which might lead to post dramatic stress or breakdowns in the future instead of now. You're going to have to be very understanding and just listen to her sometimes. She might try to act out too, but be there for her. She needs to recover at her own pace. It could take years for her to recover, but it's important to keep her life stress free for the next few months."

_Savannah Monroe and stress free. I don't think that's possible. She's cheer captain and has family drama, I believer her sister is preggers. Damn. _

"That's all. If you or she needs any help then you can go to some of these websites or call any of these numbers." The nurse handed Marti a few brightly colored pamphlets. "You should be able to go back in now." And the nurse left just like that.

_I guess I'll just go then..._

She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Dr. Clarke was smiling softly at her and she smiled back. Savannah was sitting up more and looking attentively at the doctor.

"What'd I miss?" Marti asked standing next to her cheer captain.

"We were just chatting is all," Dr. Clarke said before Savannah could repsond.

_Weird...I wonder if it was about the actual rape. She didn't tell me anything about it, but a doctor might need to know. I really friggen hope Savannah was okay telling her. She looks...okay-ish._

Savannah's eyes looked red and shiny but Marti couldn't see any tear lines on her face.

"Well I have good news and bad news," Dr. Clarke said letting her hands fold.

"What's the good news?" Marti asked. The doctor nodded in Savannah's direction.

"The good news is that no permanent damage was done to your cervix. There was some slight bruising, but it should go away in a few days. It might hurt down there for a few days but you'll be okay. In that time I wouldn't advise any physical activity. One, because you need to rest and two because of the bruises all over your body. The emotional part of working out with them could take its toll too."

"But I have cheerleading sectionals soon," Savannah said and Marti caught the slight eagerness to her voice. "I need to practice."

Dr. Clarke considered this. "You should be all ready to practice or cheer...do any physical activity in three days. You need to rest your body and let it recover. It took some severe damage. I'm actually surprised you don't have more pain in your abdomen. It looks like it could nearly be soft tissue damage."

Marti watched Savannah roll her eyes and smiled.

"We've also sent off your blood tests to be assessed. I'll have the results within the next few days and call you. And now the bad news."

Marti felt her own heart beat quicken and was sure she could almost hear Savannah's. _It can't be that bad. She would look...hopefully more concerned than that! But she looks sympathetic...Shit. Shit. Shit._

"Savannah, we examined the swabs."

Dr. Clarke looked down for a moment and Marti felt like everything fell to slow motion. The time it took the doctor to blink seemed like an hour and she could feel a heat building under her cheeks. _Life can be so unfair. But Savannah is the squad captain. She doesn't deserve any of this and she's strong. It won't be anything bad it can't be anything bad. Maybe she's going to ask her to report the rape again?_

_"You seem to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! I know I haven't updated in a week but I have a valid reason...my laptop broke, completely crashed. Luckily the docs weren't effected. So this picks up right where we left off...later told in a flashback. I didn't want to write them leaving the hospital even though it would make for good emotional value. I took creative lisence and wrote this instead. It's about Savannah almost getting the comfort she now craves and Marti so close but at the same time so far away from commiting and whole heartedly giving it. **

**Chapter 7**

Savannah was on the edge of the crack. Her and Marti's beds had been pushed together, the only space between them a little sliver where the sides met. She was on that crack or sliver, whatever you wanted to call it, and Marti was beside her. It was starting to get cooler in Tennessee and as a result both of their coverlets had been layered on top of them.

_The door's locked. _

It was at the forefront of her mind. Not that she had contracted Chlamydia, or that she wasn't able to cheer in the sectionals, but that the door to their room was locked.

"Savannah did you take your pills?" her roomie's voice was in her ear.

"Yes," Savannah replied, monotone.

Marti's elbow pressed against her bicep then in some form of a curl. Similar to a cat curling around one's feet. Marti's whole body stayed relatively still except for her elbow which continued to press against Savannah.

_I don't want to think. I don't want to breathe. I just want to sleep but I can't. I feel like everyone is watching me. It's like they expect something. Some big confession that I got beat up or something. God, tell me what I did to deserve this. What did I do wrong? _

Savannah was restless. She kept squirming and turning over from her stomach to her back or the other way around. She could still feel him on her skin. His sweat dripping down her body. His spit on her collar bone.

"Marti," Savannah whispered. "Am I a bad person?"

"No. Why would you think that?"

Savannah shifted. "Because this happened to me."

She could feel Marti stiffen besides her.

"...It's not your fault. None of what happened is. It's that friggin DJ's." Marti's tone was harsh, her voice exploding on her last sentence.

"What about my parents? What do I tell my mom?" _She's going to kill me if I tell her._

"The truth?"

Savannah turned to lie on her stomach and looked at Marti in the darkness. Her blonde curls were pulled back in a pony tail and she was wearing a long sleeve T-shirt.

"What are you going to tell Dan?" her roomie asked softly, staring her down.

_I haven't seen Dan in forever..._

"Nothing."

**_..._**

_"Savannah," Dr. Clarke spoke easily. "Your parents will be alerted—I'm assuming they pay for your insurance still?"_

_I nodded listening to this doctor's careful choice of words. _

_"Yes. Then they will be alerted that you had a routine rape kit done. It will show up on the insurance bill and the bill the hospital sends them."_

_So they would find out, I thought as I inclined my head. I felt numb._

_"One of the nurses is going over some things with Marti, but I have news to tell just you."_

_"Good I hope?" I whispered, unsure._

_The doctor nodded and then focused her stare to her clip-board. _

_Without Marti I has lost my tempo. The beat of her breath wasn't there to calm me or help with my own breathing. _

_"Legally I'm not allowed to share this information with anyone else but you," Dr. Clarke said adjusting her glasses momentarily. "It's things we've found from the swabs and the physical examination. Things like STD-s."_

Try to BREATHE.

_"But with rape victims," she continued in a serious yet understanding tone. "I'm legally allowed to check first. Sometimes it's easier if you have a family member...or a best friend. Only if you're comfortable with Marti hearing or knowing."_

_Oh my gosh, I thought. I want Marti here, I need her to hear this too. I nodded my head furiously sending my neck into a cramp. Ouch._

_"Sometimes it's easier to hear it first too."_

_That made me think twice. I wanted Marti to hear everything the doctor had to say, but at the same time I want control— at least some control. _

_"Can you just...tell me first? Please."_

_Dr. Clarke smiled and studied the clip-board again._

_"Minimal damage was done to your cervix. Some light bruising and abrasions. It might hurt when you urinate or to sit for long periods of time, but that should go away within the week."_

_That explains why I felt like I was peeing out acid this morning..._

_"Also, under the microscope, the swabs we took showed up positive with an STD."_

_Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe...I fisted the sheets and felt my throat constrict._

_"You contracted chlamydia."_

_I have an STD. Oh my God. No. This isn't okay. This wasn't part of my plan. None of this. Not the rape, not a sexually transmitted disease, not being able to cheer...not losing my understanding in God._

_"Luckily it's easily treated when caught. I can prescribe some doxycycline, medication 100 milligrams, and you can take that twice daily for fourteen days. You should also abstain from any type of sexual intercourse until the fourteen days is up."_

_I sighed. I was expecting so much worse, fearing so much worse._

_"It's very easy. Don't worry."_

_I nodded my head. The numbness was coming back, disbelief._

_"The nurse must be close to finishing up with Marti. Everything else is simply procedure. Just what you should and shouldn't do for the next few days. Do you mind if she hears that?" Dr. Clarke said flipping through the pages of the clip-board._

_"No. I don't mind," I said my throat numb and tight as the words tumbled out. It sounded like someone else was saying them. "Can you tell her everything too?"_

**_..._**

A loud snore broke Savannah's thoughts. Marti had fallen asleep with her hand fastened around Savannah's elbow. The cheer captain didn't mind. The touch, a positive touch, was one of the most comforting things. It sent shivers over her skin and down her back.

Suddenly the darkness wasn't as comforting. Thoughts popped into her head of the other night. A mere twenty four hours ago. Darkness reminded her of him. Images swirling around her minds eye.

Half of her wanted to cry long and hard. The other half wanted to go through it in silence and wait for the pain, throbbing and sharp (dull for only a sliver of a minute if at all) to disappear on its own.

_But Marti knows. Marti can help. I don't think she will let me suffer in silence; I know she won't. _

Savannah rolled to face Marti's sleeping form, careful to take the hand holding her own to her chest. Slowly she breathed in her roomie's perfume. Though it was faded and mixed with soap it was still there. Marti's smell of cleanliness and a distant sweet tinge sent Savannah's veins flowing full of something she couldn't place. She just knew it soothed her and all of a sudden the thoughts of anything negative vanished.

_Only Marti_,invaded her mind.

She traced the one prominent vein of the underside of Marti's forearm. The beat of blood underneath the skin was a strong but lazy pulse. Suddenly her eyes became irritated, itchy. (Again) She carefully brought the hand of her best friend to her cheek and didn't feel the tears flowing from her eyes so much as tickling the skin of her neck.

Savannah tried hard not to sob too loudly. Tried her hardest not to wake her cheerleader. She was captain after all and _all_ her cheerleaders needed their sleep. Sectionals were in two days and they were all leaving early tomorrow morning to make the drive.

Whole body sobs wracked her chest, shaking her from shuddering shoulders to curling toes.

_Please stay with me Marti. Don't give up on me like God, like Dan. Or punish me when I don't even know what I did wrong. Never keep me from doing what I love, I can't survive this without it. And please, _please_ help me. _

Savannah cried harder. Both her hands squeezed Marti's and she pressed her cheek flush against her palm. Even with the body sobs continuing and the strength it took to keep their volume from disturbing her Savannah managed to whisper one of her thoughts:

_"_Don't wake up_."_

**Wake me up tomorrow with reviews? :) I promise I'll update faster. I have half the next chapter done already, and if I got 5 reviews for this chapter it would totally motivate me to finish the next chapter and upload it on Saturday! Anticlimatic I know, but I liked the desperation (at least I feel when I read it) from Savannah about the shelter she needs from Marti but doesn't want to admit to. What do you feel?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey. I'm sad to admit I'm at a loss. This is such a short chapter because I'm having trouble with the sectionals and how I should go about it. I have rough outline of the whole story but it's just tricky to write the bus ride...I don't know what to do. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!**

**Chapter 8**

"Savannah wake up!" Marti groaned shaking her roomie's shoulder. "Wake up, wake up!"

Marti was already dressed in her warm ups and rubbing her head with a towel. The whole team was expected to be on the bus, ready to leave Lancer, at seven and it was six. The sun was starting to peek weakly through the curtains. _She needs to tell Vanessa that she can't cheer. _Marti pulled the coverlets off the bed and Savannah, and was surprised to see her eyes were opened.

"Oh, hey," Marti said caught off guard slightly. "You need to hurry and get dressed."

Savannah slowly rolled off the middle of the two beds and Marti saw the flash of pain cross her features as she stood. Marti then remembered the water she had grabbed from the kitchen and took it off the night stand— that had been pushed into the corner of their room last night.

_"Severe abdominal pain can be a problem," Dr. Clarke said. "Pain killers would help with it."_

_I need to remember to grab my Advil. _Marti fingered the bottle of water in her hand.

"Savannah I got you some water," she started. "For the pills."

Savannah's face broke, but only for a second as she waddled over to her desk and grabbed her warm ups. The bottle of doxycycline pills sat on Savannah's desk, the cover still popped off from last night. Savannah rubbed at her eyes furiously for a few minutes as she reached the desk. _I wonder if she has allergies? Or maybe she was crying? I hope she wasn't, I hope she at least fell asleep last night._

"Here," Marti said trying to sound as happy as she could and placed the bottle of water next to the pills.

"Marti," her cheer captain said softly. "Will you come early with me to talk to Vanessa?"

"Yeah, of course."

_Did she think I would let her do it alone? Vanessa might not get it, but she doesn't know yet. She might not ever know. _

"Hey, how are your bruises?" Marti questioned as Savannah swallowed her first pill of the day.

Savannah eyed her and looked down at her stomach. The tank top she was wearing had ridden up in the night and the purple on her abdomen was still as violent as ever. Savannah picked her shirt up even higher and the bruise looked like it had stretched across her hip even more.

"That looks like it hurts," Marti commented. _I know it hurts, look at her face!_

Savannah's brow was furrowed, like she couldn't believe it was still growing. Her lips were in a tight, thin line and her eyes had no light in them.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," Marti mumbled. _I don't know what to say. That nurse said to listen to her, but she's not talking. _"I'm here if you ever want to talk..."

Savannah nodded and pulled her hair back in a pony tail. "I'm going to change and then we can go find Vanessa?"

"Okay, sure," Marti said to her captain and threw her towel into the hamper. "I'm going to put the beds back."

"Alright."

Marti quickly pried the beds apart and pushed them into their previous positions. She then picked up the nightstand and put it back in place between the two beds. Sighing she sat down on her bed and braided a section of her hair while idly watching Savannah.

The cheer captain slid out of her tank top and revealed the small bruising on her back. _The only bruise I've touched. _It was darker but no bigger than the day before. Savannah took off her bra and then pulled on a white Lancer sports bra before pulling down her pajama bottoms. Her muscled legs had no bruising on them though they did appear to be sluggish, suggesting the possibility of her knees giving out.

Savannah then pulled on her blue and yellow accented warm up pants. She turned toward Marti— who was pulling her hair back in a pony tail— and blinked.

"Have you seen my sneakers?" she asked.

"Uh maybe they're under your bed? We moved a lot of stuff around last night."

Savannah made a move to bend down but groaned at the motion causing Marti to jump up.

"I'll look for them," she said practically dropping to the floor to search under the beds. "You finish getting ready."

_I wonder how Vanessa's going to take it. Savannah got a note from that doctor at the hospital excusing her from all sports like we're in high school or something. This was all so important to her though...Damnit!_

Marti reeled back from under the bed. Blood. Red and sticky. It was flowing from her index finger like a fire-hose.

"Fuck," Marti mumbled under her breath griping her finger with her uninjured hand.

Savannah spun around.

"Are you okay?" she gasped.

"Mhm. I will be."

_Too bad she can't say the same._

**_..._**

"Vanessa I want a single," Alice said tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"I know Alice," the coach of the Hellcats replied. "You've only told me ten times before. My answer hasn't changed. I'll see what I can do."

_Of course you will._

"I'm just making sure you don't forget."

Vanessa nodded dramatically closing her eyes momentarily. "I won't."

Alice nodded smiling and letting her white teeth peek through. She hefted her blue Hellcats gym bag up higher on her shoulder and wheeled her suitcase toward the silver coach bus. The driver, a plump man with graying stubble, took her suitcase from her and rolled his eyes. Probably because Alice's suitcase was an obnoxious bright pink color.

_What are they doing here this early? _Alice thought as she saw Marti and Savannah walk around Cheertown into the student parking lot. Savannah was limping as she rolled her suitcase along, Marti trailing behind her.

"Vanessa I think Savannah wants to talk to you," Alice called into the bus.

"Hmm, okay Alice get on the bus," Vanessa replied walking down the steps writing things down frantically on her clipboard.

Alice stepped into the bus without a word and grabbed the seat closest to the front. She sat down and stared out the window at the cheer captain and their coach. _Savannah looks like shit still. I wonder what they're talking about. Marti looks...pist. So does Vanessa. Is she _yelling_ at them?_

Alice watched as the heated discussion continued. Vanessa's shoulders slumped about half way through and her head hung by the end. They had obviously reached a verdict. Alice quickly grabbed a magazine out of her bag as the duo made a start toward the bus. She flipped through the pages trying to look interested in something, anything to make it seem that she wasn't trying desperately to listen in on their conversation.

"Alice," Savannah said as she climbed the stairs.

"Yeah?" Alice asked her captain.

"I went to the doctors yesterday and I'm not allowed to cheer, or do anything for the next three days. Will you fly in my place tomorrow?"

Alice thought her heart might stop.

"Duh!" she shouted happily. "Um— I mean sure. Yeah I can do that."

Savannah nodded and smiled appreciatively at her. Marti climbed on the bus her blonde curls coming into view.

"Hey," she mumbled sounding grumpy.

Alice rolled her eyes at her. _She always reacts just they way I want._

Marti gave her an annoyed look and walked past her to the back of the bus taking a seat next to Savannah.

"So what was that talk with Vanessa about?" Alice called going back to flip through the magazine.

"Just about how she can't cheer," came Marti's voice, still annoyed.

_Duh._

"And why can't you cheer?" Alice asked her voice prompting.

A minute of silence passed and Alice reluctantly looked to the back of the bus. Savannah was starring intensely at Marti who was whispering something she couldn't hear. _They're so secretive all the time. It's like Marti's co-captain and I'm not. _Alice's heart started to beat a little faster as she imagined a world where she wasn't co-captain. Marti would be able to make her life hell. She would have a say in everything while Alice wouldn't even be acknowledged. Alice shivered at the thought, shaking it from her head.

"Well?"

Marti turned to look at Alice as Savannah slumped back against the window looking annoyed.

"The other day when we went to the barn bar," Marti started. "When Savannah was coming back she was really drunk and pretended to be a cowgirl...and she fell down all the stairs in front of Cheertown."

_Liar. Does she think I'm stupid? No one would believe that._

"Isn't that right Lewis?"

Alice turned her attention back to the front of the bus. Lewis had just climbed the short stack of stairs. His eyes were drooped and his brows low. She thought quickly of following him to his seat but then thought better of it.

"Yeah," he said groggily. "She tried to slide down the railing. She fell off right?"

"Yeah," sounded Savannah's voice, annoyance clear in the tone.

"Hmph. Sit with me Lewis," Alice said shifting over to the window seat.

Lewis sat down obediently, dropping his bag on his lap and instantly closing his eyes.

_Only Lewis would believe that story._

**So reviews with any ideas or PMs are being looked forward to :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**So Everything has gottena little messed up and yes, this is a new chapter. I took out a part and this got all messed up as a result. So be sure to read this! It's short but the continuation is followed directly after in chapter ten. R&R constructive criticism is appreciated. :)**

**Chapter 9**

Savannah woke with a jolt. A fluttering in her heart. _Smirk and sweat.__It happened again, where am— the bus. To sectionals...which I won't be cheering at. Also the reason Vanessa is disappointed in me but "not really" at the same time. _

A warmth was around her hand. Savannah turned and found a hand holding her own. Her cheer leader was sitting in the seat next to her, just the way it was before she dozed off. It was the first time in a 48 hours that she had actually _fallen_ asleep.

"It's okay," Marti voiced the stock answer she needed to hear. Marti's green eyes were dull and it looked like she had been asleep too.

"I'm sorry I woke you," Savannah mumbled shifting back in the seat more. She felt a pressure on her hand and realized Marti was squeezing it. She looked up but Marti was examining the rest of the bus. _She wants to talk. I know it._

"Everyone's asleep except the driver," Marti whispered. "Even Vanessa is out."

_Oh no._

"I think I'm going to try and sleep too," Savannah tried but Marti squeezed her hand even tighter.

"What were you dreaming about?" 

"It was nothing," Savannah said hoping she wouldn't push it. "Just a nightmare."

"But was it about...it?"

Savannah sighed. _It's like I'm an open book. She can just flip to any page and get what she wants._

"Yes. But I really just need to sleep. I need to try at least."

Marti nodded and let Savannah's hand go.

"Okay."

**_..._**

Practice for the Hellcats was uneventful. The team did well, preforming at top notch and spiting out the routine flawlessly. The only thing that bothered Savannah was the looks she got from Lewis, Alice, and Marti.

Marti was just checking in on her. She was being a good friend and trying to see if she was okay from her appearance alone.

Lewis was flashing her smiles. It looked like all he wanted was to get her to laugh but then sometimes he would frown at her and his brows would furrow. It bothered her to no end that she couldn't deceiver his facial expressions.

Alice shot her glares and then scowls. Like she was sitting out on purpose. Savannah would smile and cock and eyebrow, hoping to come off as confused, and Alice would smirk at her and wink.

Savannah also watched Vanessa and observed her coaching style. Though she couldn't help but see the note of excuse clutched tightly in Vanessa's palm throughout the practice. It was as if she needed to hold it for it to be real, like a constant reminder. Vanessa did ask Savannah her opinion on some of the stunts and the positioning of cheerleaders and their execution of the stunts. Savannah beamed every time a question was asked, reveling in the value of her opinion.

"Okay great practice everyone!" Vanessa called officially ending it.

The team, panting, walked over and surrounded her like a herd.

"We've all worked really hard to get here," she started to say as Savannah walked carefully down the bleachers. "We've preformed well in practice and worked our asses off in the gym to prepare ourselves. I think if you guys do the routine exactly the way you just did then we'll be able to win it."

The team hooted and hollered.

"Before we end our last practice before sectionals tomorrow I think our captain needs to give us a cheer," Vanessa shouted happily as she pulled Savannah to the center of the circle.

Savannah blushed and tried not to wince at the throbbing in her stomach.

"Hellcats on three," she said sticking her arm out. Twenty five or so hands slapped down and hovered above hers. "One, two, three," she shouted. "HELLCATS!"

**_..._**

Lewis rounded the corner of the carpeted hallway. It was plain to say the least, the walls a neutral brown— the same as the rooms, he noted idly. He was on his way to Marti's room. He wanted to spend time with her before the big day tomorrow. Have their own private pep talk. _Big on the private part_, he thought smiling to himself.

As Lewis found Marti's room he couldn't help but stop himself from knocking when he heard the shouts. Lewis pressed his ear to the door— because the were muffled by the cheap wood door.

_I'm an ass but they _never_ scream at each other like this._

Lewis knew he would look like a stalker or a creep, but he was curious.

"I don't understand why we can't even _talk_ about pressing charges." -Marti's voice rang— and even through the door Lewis could hear the growing outrage in her voice, though her voice itself was quiet and the shouting seemed to have stopped.

_I hope it has nothing to do with that copied paper I gave Savannah...No. No it can't. _

"I'm not ready. I'm sorry I'm not ready!" -Savannah's voice and it was angry.

_That's not right. _Lewis found his head inching toward the crack of the door and the frame because the sound filtered out better there, and he felt even worse because now it was full blown ease dropping.

"I'm not asking you to do it, Savannah." Marti again, even quieter. "I just want to talk to you."

"We are talking." Savannah now, anger still evident.

"I want to talk about it with you. I want you to know I'm okay talking about it." Marti sounded defeated now.

"I'm sorry," Savannah whispered, Lewis barely able to make it out. "I just don't want to talk about it."

"Can you even say it?"

_What are they talking about? Legal stuff and talking? Maybe Savannah didn't fall down the stairs and get those bruises..._

"Savannah?"

"I know I was raped Marti-"

Lewis felt his heart constrict and all the air in his body flood out of his chest. _Fuck! Not Savannah. That's sick. That's damn wrong._

"-Sorry." Marti interrupted. "I just wanted to know you could say it. I want to help but I don't know how if you don't want to talk yet."

Lewis' knuckles were rapping on the cheap wood door of their own accord, his mind still processing the news his ears captured.

Marti opened the door, her green eyes bright and alive, and smiled when she saw it was Lewis.

"Hey base," she said and faked a smile, he could tell.

"Flyer," he whispered shock still flooding his system.

"Are you okay?" Marti asked shutting the door behind her before Lewis could get a glance at Savannah.

He shook his head and rubbed a hand over his scalp. He blinked a few times and kissed her hurriedly his lips meshing mechanically against hers. _Well that wasn't supposed to be distracting. _

"Oh," Marti gasped. "What are you here for, again?"

"I wanted to see you before tomorrow...have a— um pep talk..."

_Smooth._

Lewis could see the hesitation in her smile. It faltered momentarily.

"Yeah. Pep talk. Cool. Your room?"

Lewis nodded and laced his fingers through hers as they walked back down the hallway. He had some things to actually_ talk_ about at the pep talk now.


	10. Chapter 10

**IMPORTANT: Hey so this is a new chapter and some things got messed up so make sure to read chapter nine because it too is a new chapter! Enjoy and R&R please. It's alway appreciated :)**

**Chapter 10**

_His lips traced all along my neck. His big hands were at my back and hip pulling me against him as I pulled his head back up to kiss his lips. Lewis was acting funny. He usually got a little nervous when we did things that could get us "in trouble." Like the time we almost had sex in the gym when Vanessa was in her office, oblivious to us being there. _

_There was a semi strict rule that no one could be in each others' rooms after eleven. It was elven ten. Not that Darwin would tell or like he was even in the room. Not that anyone on the team would squeal on anyone._

_But Lewis' lips were hesitant then frantic. I kissed him hard on his lips and then trailed down his jaw line rolling on top of him. I tried to ignore the fact that he was acting different. It wasn't bothering me but it made me suspicious. _

_"Was Savannah raped?" _

_It came out of no where. The question just stated and me mumbling curses under my breath as I rolled off him. _

_"I'm sorry I over heard you two before I knocked," he said genuinely. "I feel like an ass hole, but is it true? Is she okay?"_

_I ran a hand through my hair and stood up pulling my shirt back on._

_"I went to the hospital with her the other day," I said as I slid into my slippers. "I don't...why don't we just go see her?"_

**_..._**

The look on Savannah's face nearly broke her heart. Shattered it into a million, trillion tiny pieces and crushed those pieces to a fine dust.

"I'm really _really_ sorry!" Marti apologized over and over like a broken record. "He found out by himself. He over heard us. It's fine though! He won't tell! Will you, Lewis?"

Lewis shook his head furiously and his eyes begged for Savannah's forgiveness.

"I just want to know you're okay," he said softly. Marti could hear the hint of fear in his voice which could have easily sounded like caution to Savannah. Marti knew she would take it that way too and freak out about being vulnerable.

"I won't tell anyone!"

Savannah was on her hotel bed, legs folded underneath her. Pillow clutched in her arms. Jaw set.

Marti sat down on her hotel bed and let Lewis stand a lone soldier.

"I won't tell. I won't make you do anything or say anything to anyone. I promise. I just want to help you get better. I'll just...I don't know do what ever you want me to."

Marti was watching Lewis as Savannah did now.

_How is this going to end? She needs to let people know, or at least except that people might be creepers and find out like Lewis did. I hope she doesn't freak out when he leaves or before he leaves like the nurse said. What if she cracks because of this?_

"He's said he won't tell a million times Savannah," Marti said glancing at her roomie. She was trying to be cautious, understanding, just like the nurse said to be.

Savannah's resolve broke and she nodded, clutching the pillow even tighter.

The word _careful_ came to Marti's mind.

"Okay," Lewis said moving closer to the beds.

"Go get some sleep," Savannah said her voice even and paced. No waver in her voice what-so-ever.

_Oh no, _Marti thought, _She's doing that thing again._

"Don't make this ruin sectionals for us," she continued. "We've worked too hard."

"Savannah-"

"No, she's right Marti," Lewis said jumping to defend their captain. "I'll go. I'm sorry, again. Night."

Lewis left quickly after that, shutting the door swiftly and quietly.

"Are you okay?" Marti asked for the fourth time that night.

Savannah nodded and shrugged under the flimsy cream comforter set on the hotel bed. _Maybe I should try and work something out of her. Anything but these stupid lies. But that might make things worse. Damn, I hate seeing her like this! I want the old Savannah back._

Marti found herself shutting off every light in the room and climbing into her bed silently. For some odd reason she wished she had kissed Lewis good night before he left their room. She wished that she could sleep with Lewis and share her bed with him like they started doing a few weeks ago. The thoughts quickly left when her eyelids grew too heavy to concentrate on much of anything and she subdued to sleep.

**_..._**

_She didn't tell Lewis, I did._

The thought echoed inside of Savannah. Rattled her bones and infested her muscles and poisoned her blood stream. She released the information. Lewis knew because the words left her mouth.

Savannah found the tears prickling at the edges of her eyes disturbing. Made her decision final. She slipped out of her bed and crawled into Marti's. She refused to huddle under the blankets with her cheerleader— that would be too close. The bed was only a full after all.

Savannah simply let herself pretend to see what she could not. The silhouette of Marti's chest rising and falling easily was the only real in the darkness. Her barely adjusted eyes allowed for her imagination to wander. Let her play with the thoughts of Marti waking and holding her hand. Let her pretend that with her each in take of breath she was moving closer to comfort her.

_It's close enough. It's the best I can have right now. _

Savannah pulled the hood of her oversized sweatshirt on. She curled around herself to try and preserve her body heat better and relished in the heat Marti's body gave off, though only on her left side. She thought of spit and sweat. It was always on her mind, sadly.

_Lewis won't tell and he doesn't know more than I was raped. That doesn't mean a lot... Or does it?_

Savannah found herself falling asleep as Marti rolled over in her sleep and one of her arms was thrown backwards and rested against Savannah's leg. It made her wants seem easier to achieve if she thought hard enough about them. And the darkness became pure behind her eye lids and all rational thought was gone as she slipped into her subconscious.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry this is a little late. I'm trying to update once every two weeks now because I'm starting to get busy again. **

**Also this might seem all jumbled up and this is a first draft...(EW) but I felt the need to make a filler and this was what I came up with. Hopefully it's not too bad. :)**

**Chapter 11**

They won sectionals a week ago. A whole week and Savannah hadn't gotten any better. Physically she was recovering at a normal rate. The bruises were evening out and had stopped growing, turning an unpleasant greenish-yellow color. She tried hard to hide them from strangers and let her team see them freely. The pain from them had gone away along with the pain in her groin and stomach from the Chlamydia. The cheer captain had about a week left of the twice daily pills.

Almost every night though, Savannah found herself crawling into Marti's bed. She had started with simply mentioning that the beds should be pushed together again and then later in the night Marti would oblige. Three days ago she had stopped asking however and started to crawl into Marti's bed when she couldn't fight for sleep any longer.

She didn't know why it was so evasive. It seemed to taunt her— the darkness. It made her feel like he was there which bothered her more than scared her. There was nothing left for him to take. If he was haunting her then it was annoying and nothing else. But for some reason being around another person, someone she trusted, sleep would always seem to find her before she went looking. Like on the bus ride home Savannah sat with Lewis and before she knew it she had nodded off against his shoulder.

Every morning Marti woke to find Savannah next to her she didn't say anything. She would smile and blink away sleep and either get up for a shower or cup of coffee or roll over and pull the coverlet above her head. Her cheerleader never judged when she woke up to find another body on her full bed. It eased Savannah's mind immensely.

**_…_**

Savannah read the text message quickly.

_Hey guys. Everything is all set for Char's surprise baby shower 2morrow! Hope everyone can still make it. Reminder that it's at 3 o'clock and not 2 anymore. Hope to see you all there!_

_I can't believe I gave that up to Nasty Kathy..._Savannah thought as she shoved the phone back into her gym bag and walked into the gym with the rest of the team.

**_..._**

Marti (and Lewis) now pushed even harder for counseling. Everyday that past week it seemed one of them found a way to bring it into a conversation. Lewis more than Marti surprisingly.

Marti spent most of the week on her laptop in their room. She had asked Julian, one of her law professors, about rape cases and he suggested a few websites. Most of them told her that if and when rape victims go to court for the offense the supposed victim is often on trial just as much as the accused, which leads most victims to stay silent. This worried her. She didn't want to force Savannah to do anything she wouldn't be comfortable with but at the same time she didn't want to let the rapist get away and possibly rape other girls too.

It conflicted her and kept her researching during classes and huddled up late at night on her bed trying to find a solution. She talked lightly about the subject with Lewis, as not to intrigue him of the subject too much, and he was just as lost as she was. Marti thought that counseling would help Savannah make more of a solid decision. She made Lewis in charge of figuring out where the local support groups were.

**_..._**

"Dan?" Savannah whispered into her cell phone. _He hasn't said a word to me since we broke up. Why is he calling now? I hope Marti didn't say anything._

"Savannah, hey, hi."

Savannah took a breath and steadied her shaking hand.

"What do you want?" she said it with as much force as she could muster, which was very little.

"I wanted to talk to you," he mumbled. "I just...I was being stupid and I feel really bad. I would really like to see you again."

"I going to my sister's baby shower right now."

"Oh. Call me after? I'd really like to see you...maybe talk. In person."

She sighed into the phone and instantly regretted it.

"We don't have to," Dan said, his words falling over one another.

"No. No. I want to, I think. I'll call you later."

Savannah hung up before she could hear his goodbye.

She shoved the keys into the ignition and pulled out of the student parking lot.

Nationals were in a month. The team needed money to go and they had little ideas as to get it. She wanted to come up with an amazing idea that was sure to work to get them the money they needed. Calenders were at the top of her list.

_How do you make money?_ A sexy calendar shoot was the best she could think of as she drove in the direction of her family's house. It only took half an hour to get there and she could see the cars parked down the street to keep Char from suspecting anything. Savannah pulled into the driveway anyways and quickly steadied herself.

_What if Mom got the bills already? What if she hates me and won't allow me in the house? No, she can't do that to Char. _

Savannah got out of her car and left her purse and phone inside before walking into the house. Nasty Kathy was running around sticking last minute streamers and baby pictures to the walls and ceilings. She walked into the kitchen after waving hello to some of the guests and found her mother sitting at the table.

"Savannah" Layne said and nodded to the chair opposite herself. "Close the door first, would you?"

Savannah felt her breath hitch in her throat as she nodded mutely and did as she was told. After she was in the seat her mother folded her hands over two envelopes.

"I got these in the post a few days ago," Layne started, her typical makeup applied. "Do you have anything to say before I assume something?"

Savannah was at a lose for words and stared stupidly at the pieces of paper under her mother's ring clad fingers. _The bills._

"Am I to believe _both _my daughters had sex before marriage?" she hissed out the words. "And are _you _trying to cover it up with a lie?"

The outrage in her mother's voice was clear but her volume never reached a yell or a shout.

"Savannah, I don't want to hear any excuses. In fact I don't want to hear or know what really happened at all."

Savannah felt her heart break a little. A piece chipping off and shattering in the empty cavern that was her chest. She felt her stomach curl and her throat constrict at the words.

"I just wished you could have been a better role model for Charlotte. Maybe then she wouldn't have gotten pregnant. Either way I don't want this getting out too. I'll pay for the bills and give you any money you need to put this behind you, but it _cannot_ get out. Do you understand me?"

"But Mom—"

"No. Just take the money I'm offering and keep it to yourself out there!"

"Mom listen!" Savannah begged. "It's not like that. I didn't-"

"Savannah please!" Layne spat, her hands curled around a blank check, already signed. "I don't want excuses. Whatever happened is in the past. Just take this and keep quiet!"

An angry boiling started in the pit of Savannah's stomach. _Why isn't she listening? Why doesn't she understand? _

"Fine."

And with that she snatched the check out of her mother's hands and got up to join the surprise party as she heard Charlotte entering the house from the back door.

"Are you leaving so soon?" Charlotte asked Savannah as she tried to slip out the back door.

_Damn..._

"Oh. Yeah I have an early practice tomorrow."

Char leaned back against the wall and looked to her feet.

"That's too bad," she said a smile poking through. "I wanted to stay up late and have a make over like when we were kids. Sneaking past mom to get all her make up and getting in trouble the next morning when we forgot to wash it off."

Savannah smiled at the memories of it. _I wish I could stay Char. I really do. I wish so hard that I could do everything you wanted and needed. I wish mom would understand and I wish this never happened to me. I wish you never got pregnant._

"That used to be fun," she said laughing lightly. It was fake but she tried her hardest to put on a good show for her sister.

"You seem really tired," Char whispered pushing off the wall as Savannah rubbed at her eye.

"A little," she admitted and let her hold on the doorknob falter.

Char quickly wrapped her arms around Savannah's midsection and pressed her cheek to Savannah's neck. The hug was warm and easy and understanding. More though, Savannah liked how it didn't hold pity. It was Charlotte holding on to her for stability. It had no underlying tone relating in anyway back to her rape.

"I love you Savannah." It was whispered and soft and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"I love you too Char."

**Okay so maybe I got a little sappy at the end ;) sue me. Reviews and PMs always make my day.**

**Any insight would be super helpful! (Again) I hope this isn't as bad as I think it is. I feel like this is just fiction throwup. Nasty things that just came to mind and I wrote down in a hurry. **

**Certainly not the best thing I've written, but hopefully it will suffice.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Here we go! Back to better writing! :P I apologise for the throwup that was last chapter...This is better I promise!**

**Chapter 12**

"_Alice!_" Savannah spat with all the venom she could muster. _I can't believe she just said that!_

Alice stopped pedaling on her workout bike and stared at her captain. Savannah marched over to Alice and gripped the handlebars tightly, her jaw clenched.

"What captain Savannah?" Alice questioned her expression confused, but Savannah could see the smirk in her eyes. _Don't smirk like that._

"I _know_ what you said about Marti in the locker room." _I know her mother's a drunk, but Marti is in no way a rape baby. Wanda is so sweet and tries so hard and Marti knows her Dad died years ago._

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alice whispered placing her hands on either side of Savannah's fists and continued to pedal again.

Savannah thought her head might explode if she didn't get to yell and scream at her co-captain within the next minute. She knew she was making a scene and she could feel the eyes of most of her teammates on her back as she grabbed Alice's wrist.

"Meeting. _Now_."

She tugged Alice off the bike and through the double doors that led to the locker room.

"What do you want Savannah?" Alice hissed ripping her hand out of Savannah's clenched one. "There's no need to yell and embarrass me in front of the whole team if you want to talk about something."

The cheer captain spun on her heel to face Alice. _You don't know anything about rape. _Her blood was pumping so fast through her veins she thought she might have a heart attack. The cheap yellow light the illuminated the room sent her eyes into a blinking fury she couldn't control.

_I'm glad Marti is coming late at least._

"I do want to talk about something. But I'm also _captain_ so I don't have to run things by you before _I_ decide to make a scene."

Alice crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Say something then!"

"Fine!" Savannah screeched. "You have no right to talk about Marti's life behind her back when you know nothing about it. We're supposed to be a family here. You are a bitch and don't want that. I don't even know why you're co-captain!" Her face was getting warm and she couldn't understand the words coming out of her mouth, they just continued to flow in an endless stream getting louder with each sentence. "Marti may be new to the team but she's not new to people making things up about her mother! She gets angry about it. I see it all the time in our room. Yeah I actually know her because I actually live with someone unlike you."

_It's so wrong. So so so so wrong! Why does she even pretend to know anything?_

"Calm down..."

"Shut up! Don't tell me to _do_ anything! You can't talk about Marti's Mom like you know her life. She wasn't _raped!_ You don't know anything about her life. And Marti was born because Wanda wanted a baby not because she didn't get an abortion!"

"Savannah you don't need to yell."

_WHAT?_

Savannah bit her lip so hard she thought she tasted blood, but no matter how hard she bit it couldn't keep her comments from spewing out.

"Alice you're a..."

"Savannah what is wrong with you?"

Vanessa walked in through the double doors and her shocked expression wasn't the only thing that let Savannah know she was way out of line.

"Alice what's going on here?"

"Savannah's upset and thinks _yelling_ at people will make it better."

Savannah swallowed and turned to face Vanessa, her palms growing sweaty.

"No," she started, closing her eyes. "Vanessa, Alice is trying to rip our team apart. She's spreading rumors."

"That's no reason to call someone a whore!" Alice whispered with a fury behind her eyes.

Savannah heard the noise before she made any connection about how her hand had moved so fast. Alice was holding her cheek and had taken a step away from her. The captain's palm stung and by the look on Alice's face her cheek wasn't doing so well either.

"Savannah. My office. _Now._"

_**...**_

"I cannot believe you _hit_ Alice like that," Vanessa was continuing to scold as she paced back and forth in her office. "You're a captain, _the_ captain of the Hellcats. You set the example, you're the one to make all the team decisions and keep the team a family."

"But Vanessa!" Savannah interrupted for the third time.

"Savannah, please, you aren't violent. Not with you're team anyways. And you like Alice...enough to respect her."

"Listen! Just listen to what I'm saying! Alice was spreading a rumor about Marti and she wanted to turn everyone against her!"

"But Alice wasn't doing that. Not from what I could tell. She might have just been talking. People talk Savannah, it doesn't mean they're spreading rumors."

Vanessa angled her stare at Savannah who sat in a chair. She rested back against her desk and folded her arms. Her eyes were stern and had a hint of denial in them. _Like she can't believe I would ever do something like that._

"What was she supposedly saying that got you all worked up anyways? You're never so...explosive."

A heat rose in Savannah's cheeks and neck. She could feel Vanessa's stare on her body where the bruises used to be. _There's a good reason._

"Alice said that Marti was a rape baby and that Wanda only kept her because she was too stupid to get an abortion." It came out mumbled and ashamed. _Why should I be ashamed about it?_

"So you felt for your teammate?" Vanessa questioned leaning forward slightly.

Savannah nodded and crossed her legs.

"It's okay to do that," the coach continued. "But it's incredibly inappropriate to hit teammates because of it."

"Alice was asking for it!" Savannah shrieked jumping out of her seat.

"SAVANNAH!"

She kept her stare on her coach and tried her best to look intimidating and ferocious.

"You don't act like this, _please_, tell me what's wrong with you."

_She figured it out so quickly! What do I say? What do I do?_

Savannah fell back in the chair and slumped forward. Her body kept getting hotter, her internal temperature rising like lava. She could feel tears in her throat but would not let them show their presence on her cheeks.

"I'm taking care of it," she whispered, her stare now at her white sneakers.

"So something is wrong? Let me help you."

Savannah cringed. _Bad choice of words._

"No. I don't want it, I don't want people to know about it!"

"Savannah I'm your coach. You can tell me. It's okay to tell me."

Vanessa's hand was on her back. A light touch that should have been positive but seemed to burn her skin from the contact. Everything was too hot and too much and she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. Some how she was putting all sorts of pressure on herself to keep it a secret.

"I was raped okay!" Savannah said hoarsely as she jumped out of the chair and away from Vanessa's contact.

She didn't turn to look at Vanessa's horrified expression. Didn't want to acknowledge the sudden shift in air. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes as she tried desperately to calm herself.

"Please Vanessa I have a lot of support already," she whispered wrapping her arms around her stomach. "My family is behind me and Marti and Lewis are too." _More lies? Even if half of it is true why does it flow so easily? God...I don't even know anymore. _

"I'm so sorry!" Vanessa gushed. Her words were overflowing each other. They were meshing into one big apology, something Savannah wanted nothing to do with.

"It's fine. I'm fine." _Even more lies..._ "Everything's under control. I just don't want it to get out. _Please_ Vanessa, don't try and get into it."

There was a long pause where Savannah stood facing the corner of the office and Vanessa stayed quiet, contemplating the information that had just been thrust upon her.

"Okay."

It came out soft and understanding yet uneven at the same time. There was no beat and the word had been awkwardly split into three syllables.

Savannah turned and met the gaze of her coach.

"You should go home from practice for today though," Vanessa offered. "Alice will be making a scene of it and I think you need to calm yourself down a little." She motioned to the door with one had sliding through her hair. "If you need breaks or anything just tell me and I'll get it."

"Vanessa I don't need special treatment, I need to practice for Nationals anyways," Savannah said monotone. "I don't want to leave early today."

"I'm not asking you to," Vanessa responded taking a step closer. "I'm telling. We haven't even found the money to get to Nationals so it's okay. I have the basics of a routine down in my head but nothing complicated you can't pick up on the spot. You _get_ to miss practice for today. We'll just be working out. Don't expect it again...unless you really need it."

Savannah frowned. _Bull..._

"I was thinking we could do a calendar shoot for money...and Lewis was talking about a selling dates or something like that..."

Vanessa shook her head thoughtfully for a moment.

"I can think about that all later but I want you back in your dorm right now. Don't bother grabbing your bag. I'll take it in here and have someone bring it back for you after practice."

Savannah fingered the hem of her skirt. "Marti?" she questioned lightly.

"Sure."

**R&R is being looked forward too! Hope you can tell me if Savannah still sounds in character/ if you liked it? **


	13. Chapter 13

**_Many people have asked me for a timeline so I included it in this chapter see below: Also I do not own any products mentioned._**

**_Time Line: _**

**So this starts during/after episode 11 and in episode 10 Dan broke up with Savannah without giving her an actual reason because he had feelings for Marti still. During episode 11 Savannah gets so drunk at the barn because she's sad about Dan and that's why she goes with the DJ which leads to this story. **

**Dan and Marti did have their encounter in the car but Marti doesn't tell Savannah because she got raped and Marti feels Savannah doesn't need to hear it. Also it's not at the front of Marti's mind because once she knows that Savannah was raped that is all she's focused on. I hope this little refresh clears everything up for everyone.**

**Chapter 13**

"So I grabbed your bag because Vanessa said she sent you home from practice again?" Marti questioned walking into her shared dorm room.

The room had only one light on, and that was the one on the nightstand between their two beds. The cheer captain was curled up on her bed with her cell phone clutched limply in her hands. Marti thought the sight was strange. Savannah's face was distant, as if she was deep in thought. But at the same time she looked like she was waiting for sleep to take over.

Marti walked over and sat down on her bed after turning another light on and Savannah flinched at the sudden brightness.

"Are you okay?" Marti asked watching her carefully. _She looks like she's dead inside. That's not anything like she's supposed to be. She's not getting any better._

Savannah nodded her head and sat up taking a breath.

"The hospital called with the blood results," she mumbled tucking her feet underneath herself. "They said I'm not pregnant."

_Holy shit!_

"That's friggin great news!" Marti almost shouted. Her eyes widened and a grin spread her lips. Excitement enveloped her body. _Why am I excited? I should be happy but there's still problems._

"My Mom gave me a blank check too..." Savannah added as her stare shifted to the sheets.

"Wait-what?"

"She gave me a blank check because she didn't want to deal with it. She's mad that I had sex before marriage. She thinks I wanted to!"

_Oh God Savannah. _

The excitement quickly drained out of Marti's body. She felt restless. _How could her own mother think she wanted something like that?_

"Does she know you got raped?" Marti asked softly but seriously.

The cheer captain nodded furiously and turned to face the wall.

"She saw the bills but doesn't care. She thinks it's an excuse for having sex. Like I'm trying to cover it up and make it look like I didn't want it."

"But it's not!"

"I know that! Tell her!"

Marti fell back onto her bed and groaned. "I'm sorry!" she sighed throwing her hands up. "I wish she would help you."

"It's fine," her roomie said surprising her. _Excuse me?_ "She hasn't done anything to help me in the past. I just...I want a drink. I want to celebrate."

Marti could see the shine in Savannah's eyes as she sat up. _She'll get drunk fast. _"We don't need to drink to celebrate you...not being pregnant." She whispered the last part. "We can have water and watch a movie or something."

Savannah shook her head and Marti's stomach clenched a little.

"I want to feel normal again," the brunette said. "I used to drink before and I just want some alcohol. I want to do something I did before."

"You sound like you want to abuse the alcohol."

Savannah stayed quiet at that comment. Marti stood up quickly though, to avoid the awkward silence, and hurried out to the kitchen. She whipped the fridge open and grabbed two bottles of the bronze liquid before turning around and almost crashing into Lewis.

"Whoa!" he cried grabbing her around the waist.

"Hey, hey!" she screeched playfully.

"One of those is for me right?" he asked smiling sweetly down at her.

Marti rolled her eyes as he pulled her tighter to him. "You wish."

"I could be your drinkin' buddy," he offered and pecked her lips.

"Hmm, except then Savannah would come out and kill the both of us."

They both laughed and Lewis let his hands slide off of Marti's body. It made Marti's body feel light as a feather and cold without his contact. She stared into his big brown eyes and felt herself smiling stupidly.

"While we're on the topic of murder," Lewis mumbled casually. "I think you should know that Savannah bitch slapped Alice at practice today."

"What?" Marti blurted out in disbelief. "Why did she do that?"

"Easy, easy. Alice was talking trash about...well you, and Savannah defended you. But she got a little out of control and ended up slapping Alice before Vanessa found them arguing in the locker room."

_She doesn't need to defend me. She doesn't need to do anything for me. I can handle Alice myself! I can't believe she hit her. Bitch slapped her!_

"That's...fucked up..." Marti whispered setting the beers down on the counter.

Lewis nodded in agreement and wrapped his hand around Marti's. He squeezed it and pulled her close to him again. He wore jeans and a T-shirt and wrapped her up in all his muscles.

"She needs help more than we think," Lewis whispered into her hair as Marti wrapped her arms loosely around his waist. "She needs a group or something."

"I know," Marti agreed. "I found one near town online, but the doctors says not to push her into doing things. She won't get better if she doesn't want to. We have to wait it out with her."

"That's hard to do. Vanessa'll kick her off the team if she pulls something like that again, or she might lost her scholarship."

Marti nodded against his chest and simply stood in his embrace. She relished in the feelings of being so close to him. Lewis somehow made her calmer and allowed her to think without any stress. He was like a portal into their own little world where nothing else mattered. _Except Savannah. _

"I have to get back to her," Marti mumbled looking up and kissing his lips. Lewis nodded and let her go, but not before he wrapped a hand behind her neck and kissed her hard on the lips.

"Talk with me later?" he said walking back to the T.V.

"Sure."

_**...**_

Marti returned to her room and found Savannah lying on her back, the two beds pushed together and the nightstand in the corner of the room. She dropped back on the bed next to her cheer captain and dropped the beer into Savannah's stomach, who reacted with a groan. Marti smiled and carefully twisted the top off her bottle as she sat up, back against the wall.

The yellow of the room gave it a warm glow— almost set the mood for a haunting conversation. Savannah ripped the cap off her bottle quietly and pressed the lip to her mouth, swining her head back to consume the alcohol.

"This tastes bad..." she laughed softly as she sat up.

_Duh, it's real beer. Marti's_ eyebrow cocked and she smirked. "It's not Mike's Hard anything."

The girl was used to sickly sweet alcohol that hid the taste, the fact, that it could be poison to the body— only made it seem like a tasty, harmless juice.

"Oh..."

"So tell me about these blank checks?"

Savannah swung her bottle back and winced as she swallowed. _It's not even that strong...she really doesn't like the taste. _Marti chuckled a little at her realization.

"Would you rather straight vodka?" Marti asked and immediately regretted the question when she saw the shine in Savannah's eyes.

"Do we have tequila still?" the brunette asked.

Marti sighed. "I think."

Many alcoholic beverages later Savannah was falling asleep where she sat. Marti was drunk but wasn't anywhere near Savannah's condition. They had talked about stupid things. Things that seemed to normal to have ever mattered so much merely a few weeks ago. Things like classes and Marti's mother and law school and cheer moves. Things that took Savannah's mind off the here and now. Things that made her roomie forget and allowed her to live in the past for a few hours.

Marti can only manage to push all the bottles away from the bed and near the wall before she shuts out the lights and falls on her bed. Savannah is sprawled out across both beds and Marti doesn't move her as she climbs under her coverlet and snuggles into her pillow. Sleep finds her easily and she can barely think as it overtakes her.

_She said yes to counseling..._

**_..._**

I tighten my hands. My fingers drilling holes into my palm. I could hear her crying the other night. I can't hear it tonight, but I've heard it for the past week. I know. I know everything and that was why she was so pissed when I mention it. My head aches when I think that someone could do that to her. It sends achy flutters to my stomach. Makes my tongue burn. It will be good for me. It will confirm it. I can find out for sure tomorrow. I have to get there early but I can try and figure it out because no one can hide something from me when I already know the truth.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! So I am so sorry that I have been neglecting this story! Things picked up again and I just got aronud to fiddling with this idea again tonight. Hopefully I didn't lose too many of you.**

**Also about Savannah slapping Alice...honestly I thought it was very in character of her for the situation because in the pilot episode she was about to slap Marti for calling cheerleaders football groupies. I think she would slap someone if they put down on something she believed in. **

**Also while I can't promise this will be updated every two week religiously I can promise it will be finished. The plot is all plotted (lol) and it's just a matter of fleshing things out now and bringing together a few techincal things. **

**Everything Belongs to CW. **

**Chapter 14**

I walk forward into the gym. It's dark in here. This is the time I assume Savannah usually gets here. This should be her. I should be her. Or rather I should have her fucking spot. I deserve that spot and it was supposed to be mine before she transferred here. GOD DAMNIT! I cradle my knee and peel off the stripping skin with a wince. I forgot where the light switch is.

I flick it on after some searching blindly against the wall and light illuminates the locker room. Some idiot— probably a janitor— forgot to move one of the metal benches back into place. I kick it and snarl as my foot throbs, but I ignore the pain and walk over to my locker. _Vanessa should be here soon_, I think as I check the clock on the wall. _It's almost seven._

_**…**_

_The words float through the air of the gym._

_Lazy whispers and sometimes frantic conversations, in the far corners. _

_'She's not _it_ anymore'_

_'No _it's _not permanent'_

_'Vanessa said so though'_

_'Get your ears checked, it's _her_ now!'_

_Everyone is huddled. No one knows how to react, or even they even should. _She's _been acting strange lately, right? _It_ makes sense. Marti will be made._

_'Marti will be ready to _destroy _her'_

_'Is that _them_ now?'_

_In a flurry of motion the squad hops on various exercise machines or starts running laps, and some even stretch or lift light weights. Alice just walked in and her white teeth are peeking through her lips as she smirks. She walks, or rather _marches_ over to the bulk of the squad like she owns the place —she might as well now. Her mouth opens and her little tongue darts out to wet her lips. Some of the cheerleaders cringe and quickly look away. She looks like she's about to speak, her mouth forming words about to tumble past her lips when thing interrupts her._

"No way in fucking Hell."

(This is where it would end, but I feel I've neglected everyone so you're lucky.)

Marti and Savannah stood in the middle of the gym. The middle of the workout area. Alice turned on her heels and gave them both a bitchy smirk.

"What are you doing?" Marti asked, bewilderment clear on her features.

"My job," Alice stated forming a 'C' with her hand. "Captains do get to address the whole squad and give orders, don't they Savannah?"

Marti was visibly shaking. Her arms glued to her sides in an attempt to keep herself from rushing Alice and punching the stupid smile off her face. _Better yet rip her friggin lips off. _Marti glanced to the brunette beside her and through her rage could barely see the tears shinning in her eyes.

_Oh God Savannah._

Marti turned and looked toward Vanessa's office, thinking of what Alice could _possibly_ have on their coach that would make her crumble. And even when she _knew_ about what happened to Savannah. She knew how hard she was trying, how hard she had it. (A few things had slipped from her drunken lips last night, including a call from a certain Daniel Patch)

Marti couldn't help it when she started to walk up to Alice. Couldn't help it when her arms shoved the shorter girl backwards. Didn't stand to stop once Alice retaliated and shoved her back. The shouts and screams and hisses were deaf on her ears as she pushed Alice again and suddenly she was winding up, ready to punch. Alice's eyes had no fear, they were egging her on. If Marti hit her she had a reason to kick her off the squad. She had reason to get her scholarship revoked.

Suddenly she was being pulled back by an unknown force. She struggled against the hold on her waist, ignoring the whispering at her ear and then the shouts, as she clawed at air trying to at the least _scratch _Alice.

"Marti chill out!" Lewis yelled. "Calm the hell down!"

She couldn't. She could not _calm down_ when a bitch had gone behind her friend's— _best friend's_ back and wormed her way to the top of their hypothetical pyramid.

"She's a _bitch_, Lewis!" Marti hissed as her feet returned to the floor boards.

"I get it," he whispered, his arms still locked around her waist. "I know what you're feeling, but you can't hit her. That isn't gonna make things better for Savannah."

"She could at least talk to _Savannah_ about it," Marti whispered with a venom. "She could make her look like less of a fool when she walked in this morning."

"Maybe Vanessa didn't want to tell her...maybe she wanted to talk with her this morning?"

Lewis pulled Marti so her back was flush against his chest. He bent his head to rest on her shoulder. His breath ghosted across her cheeks and he pressed his lips to her temple.

"I found a place that does some religious counseling," he said softly. It calmed Marti down the slightest bit. His lips would have been a better distraction however. "They don't cost a lot of money either...it's near here too. Just four miles from downtown."

Marti relaxed even further into his grip.

"Can I let you go now?"

"No."

They both watched as Vanessa jogged out of her office— _A little late coach—_ and grabbed Savannah by the wrist, shooting a look at Alice and then glaring at Marti.

"She's mad," was whispered into her neck.

"I don't care," Marti spat as she started to shake again.

"Marti go wait in the locker room!" Vanessa yelled. Like she actually yelled, and Marti would have been impressed if she hadn't been so pissed off. "Savannah will come get you when I want to see you. And everyone else, including _you_ Alice, takes fifteen laps and then do one of the circuits set up on the white board."

Lewis let his arms slither from her torso and he straightened up as Vanessa took Savannah with her to her office.

_Shit. Shit. Shit. I'm a fuck up. But I don't fucking care. God damnit Vanessa! What the fuck! _

"Are you going to be okay?" Lewis asked.

Marti swore she was seeing red all over again.

"You look a little...enraged."

"Big word Lewis," she scoffed. "I'll be fine. _In the locker room._"

Lewis cocked his head at her and then started jogging with the rest of the team around the gym. Marti kicked the door to the locker room open and then proceeded to kick the lockers, her foot throbbing. She whipped one of them open and slammed it shut. _Just...fuck._

_**...**_

"It's not going to last forever," Vanessa said sitting back on her desk.

Savannah was planted in one of the crappy plastic chairs in front of the desk. Alice was captain. She _made_ Alice captain without even telling her. It wasn't that she was mad at Alice, or even Vanessa. She was mad at herself because she had just given up on her team. Given up on her dream, her life.

"I was going to tell you before practice but you showed up late," Vanessa continued. "I wanted to talk with you privately. I was trying really hard to avoid something like, _that, _happening this morning. I guess I didn't try hard enough."

"No you didn't..."Savannah mumbled low enough so Vanessa either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her.

"Alice came to me and proved her point."

"Did you tell her?" Savannah gasped, her blood pumping wildly under her skin.

"No! No, I didn't say anything," Vanessa assured standing up straighter. "She already knew...I thought you told her."

"I didn't tell anyone except Marti...and Lewis."

Vanessa took this information and thought for a moment.

"Maybe Lewis told her..." she mused and something tightened around the brunette's heart. "Either way she was proving a point. She wanted to help Savannah, she really did. She thinks that it might be too much for you to have to worry about a team when you have other _bigger_ problems going on in your life.

Alice isn't captain forever. It's temporary. Just until you have this figured out and it won't be as stressful for you. And Marti reacting like that...that's another stress. You need stress free right now. Cheer leading isn't something that is stress free. It's stressful situations both physically and mentally. Maybe you should take a break."

"I can't lose my scholarship," Savannah whispered looking to the ground. She didn't want to fight with Vanessa. She was right after all. "I'm okay to participate though, I have a clean bill of health. It's been a long enough."

It was hard for Savannah to understand why Alice would know, or why she would want to help her, but she didn't have much a choice but to accept it.

"Okay..." Vanessa said unsure. "But before you go back to practice can you get Marti from the locker room?"

"Yes."

_**…**_

The first thing she felt were arms around her, a body sneaking in to rest comfortably against her back. This warm presence a gift compared to the cold steel of the lockers. It sent tingles through her stomach, down her spine, to the nerve endings in her legs. Hands tightened around her torso and then she was flush against the person behind her, between their legs. The person's petite body curled around her and a head rested against her shoulder blade as she sat between their legs.

"I'm okay," the soft voice said against her skin.

It was scary to think how out of control she had gotten for this body. How soft she was for this body.

"I'm sorry," she whispered making a move to turn but the arms held her in their place on the floor.

"Just stay a minute," the voice said firmly. "I need it too."

So Marti slumped against Savannah and held her tiny hands in place across her stomach.

"Alice isn't captain permanently," she continued. "Just until I can get this under control. Then it's my spot again."

"Why her?" Marti hissed, her voice going hoarse from her growling.

"Because she knew," and the words made Marti tense. "She knew enough to talk to Vanessa about it."

"H-How?" was all Marti could squeak.

She felt her _real_ captain's shoulders shrug. "I don't know, Vanessa just said she knew about it."

"Oh."

Savannah nodded against Marti's back and sighed.

"It's like at night when you hold my hand," she whispered. "I just need to hold you for a minute. I just— I don't know."

It was Marti's turn to sigh. She squeezed Savannah's hands tight between her fingers.

"I get it," she said. "Sometimes you just need to hold on to something."

"Vanessa wants you in her office," Savannah yawned quietly. "She's mad at you. She doesn't want people to attack Alice about it."

Marti felt her heart thud loudly in her chest. Thinking about it got her going again.

"She deserves it!"

The tired sigh that escaped Savannah's lips and crept past her neck made her forget her anger. She felt bad for ever making things hard for Savannah. _All I wanted to do was make things easier._

"I don't think she does...not anymore."

"Fine," Marti said stiffly.

Savannah nuzzled her back and squeezed her tighter.

"Try mentioning a sexy calendar shoot to raise money for Nationals to her, okay?" Savannah chuckled.

"What?" Marti asked a little confused as to where the comment came from.

"Just tell her, it'll put her in a better mood."

They both sighed then. Savannah's breath stretching out in invisible planes across Marti's bare shoulders, and Marti's breath escaping into the infinite space spread out in front of her. Neither moved from their spots for a few beats. Then they stood and brushed themselves off and took a few deep breathes before walking out to the other side of the locker room. The side where life actually existed and things couldn't be compared to bedtime which consisted solely of providing comfort for both girls.

**So how was that? Also do you think Alice will confront Savannah about her rape? Or keep herself behind the scenes? **

**Oh, and I recently discovered that prompts are just about the best thing ever thought of. If anyone has a prompt they want me to take a shot at and write something about Savarti or anything give me a message! I would love to test myself and bring something like that to life for anyone of you! **

**This archieve has been super slow with updates and interest so I'm hoping to bring it back to life a little with a few one shots or two shots. Look forward to them!**


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